Cat of the Military
by Bloodycatalchemist
Summary: A new Alchemist appers on the scene, with orders to kill Scar. The only proplem is, The Bloody Cat Alchemist has never obeyed orders. refer to foot notes, their funny. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Waffles! **(1)(refer to note 1)

A young girl of only several thousand years, sat in a dimension she had named Alchemist Earth. She had reentered this dimension only an hour ago. She'd been gone for a year in her own personal time, but only for a second or two in this dimension's time. She had been visiting the Second Dimension when a plague had hit the human children of that dimension. After dealing with this, she came to the Alchemist Earth dimension for a break. So when she ran across her 'boss', General What's-His-Name, she was very cranky and tired.

"Where have you been? I told you to get a report on the Shilear case two weeks ago!" shouted the general, who had turned a funny color of red in the face.

Wiping the spit of her face Renée calmly said, "Oh, that. I never went to Shilear. Didn't feel like it. I was able to make it to Jinar though. They had a nasty little epidemic that effected the middle-aged, going around. It was quite nasty."

He grumped to himself, "Jinar is on the other side of the state. What were you doing there?" Then continuing in that military type yelling, he said, "Here's your next assignment. And this time, please at least try to attempt to look like you care." Accepting the folder she had been given, she slipped it into her briefcase and said good-bye to everyone present. She then headed to her personal quarters. Once she was out of hearing range, even for her, the general grumped, "Bloody Cat."

Once she had arrived at her quarters, she withdrew her keys and opened the locked door. Her quarters were plain and uninteresting. There were two rooms, one was a bathroom slash kitchen, and the other was everything else. The main room included a table, a dresser and a small bed. The walls had no posters on them and the only thing that made the room look like it was lived in was an open drawer, in the dresser, that was full of black socks. Dropping, and nearly the table, her briefcase on the nearby table she entered the second room, yawning. Inside was a curtain leading to a shower and toilet, and two shelves. On the shelf to her left were a small sink and some soap, where she washed her face and then turned to the other shelf. On the shelf were a small refrigerator, a coffee pot, and a microwave. Inside the fringe she knew was a pack of cookies, but yawning, she decided to just go to bed. So she exited the small room.

She went over the dresser and pushed the drawer closed. Then kicking her shoes off, she fell onto the twin size bed. She was snoring before she hit the covers.

Three days later she awoke. Standing up, she fell back onto the bed looking up to the ceiling. She started to think out loud. "That was a nice nap, now I'm hungry." She sat up on the bed. "I'm thinking waffles(2)(now the 2nd one, get it), maybe with strawberries." She stood up again and made the bed. Walking over to her briefcase she opened it. Inside she saw the bent folder General What's-His-Name had given her. "This should be worth some laughs. Case number 21, Top Secret, hmm." When she opened the folder, it was so packed full all the paper flew everywhere. "Darn it." She knelt down to pick up all the paper.

"What's this?" She picked up a small glossy piece of paper. Realizing she was looking at the back, she flipped it over. "A snapshot. Darn, I thought it would be something exciting. And all it is is a picture of some Isbalite guy, with a weird scar on his face. Oh, well." She scooped all the papers back into the folder and put the folder in her briefcase.

"Central has a very good Waffle House. Time to leave anyway; I don't want to chance another annoying meeting with What's-His-Name. I really need to get his name sometime." She stood up and placed another change of clothing from her dresser in the briefcase, under a small first aid kit. The kit looked as if it had seen way too many days last century sometime. Then going back into the second room she withdrew the cookies from the fringe and placed them along side the first aid kit. Closing the briefcase with amazingly no difficulty, she picked it up. "Time to go get some waffles!" With that she exited her quarters, locked the door, and got on the first train heading to Central.

Leaving the train station, she sighed at the crisp morning air. "What a beautiful morning. Now the Waffle House is … over … there!" Walking swiftly into a major business district, full of large ugly buildings. She quickly came across a small diner with a giant waffle on top of it, squished between two of the dull business buildings. Its front door was carved to look like a waffle, complete with a fresh layer of paint and something that looked like maple syrup. As she looked up at the Waffle House she could see a large hanging sign that said, 'Waffle House'. Opening the door to the small diner, a bell rang her entrance. She sat in a booth next to the side window, which only showed a dull wall. Sitting here she could see the rest of the Waffle House.

The place was still like she remembered. The booths still sat on the very edges of the room, while square tables sat scattered throughout the restaurant, painted yellow and orange. The room was still made out so if you wanted to have a party, you could just move the tables and dance the night away. On the wall behind her were several pictures. Most showed how the diner hadn't changed over the years, but the bottom row had six different pictures, one more than she remembered, of all the past owners. They all had a metal plate labeling them below the pictures, stating their names, when they owned the diner, how long they lived and some special they had done for the diner. All the owners' pictures were of young women in their early twenties, they all looked very similar, but this to be expected since the diner has been owned by the Waflens since it was founded.

Just as she began thinking about a past not forgotten, a waitress pulled up in her roller blades.

"Can I help you, young lady?" the middle-aged waitress asked brightly.

Nearby, two boys sat listening to a man who amazingly kept rambling on about his daughter, Elysia, without even stopping to inhale. The older brother, who was sitting slumped in a chair, who was short for his age ("who said that?"). Was Edward Elric the Full Metal Alchemist. His younger and much taller ("I'll show you tall") brother, sat politely in another chair, was Alphonse Elric. His soul was bonded to a suit of armor. As they sat trying not to fall asleep, a loud grumble came from Ed's stomach.

When everyone began to stare at Ed, Lisa was able to break into Maes gabbing, "Why don't I take the boys to lunch? It is three."

Maes Hughes looked up at Lisa, "That's a great idea, why don't we all go. None of us have eaten yet. Then I can tell you all more about my little Elysia." A small groan erupted from somewhere in the room, but still everyone was hungry and in need of a break. So by the time they left the building, over twenty people were going to lunch with them.

Once outside Ed, whispered to Lisa, who was leading the pack, "Thanks for trying to get us out of there. Even if it backfired."

Smiling back, she replied happily, "It's okay. Hopefully his mouth will be too full to talk, much. Anyway, this gives me a great opportunity to take you to a cool restaurant."

"Where are we going?"

"We're going there." She pointed to a small building up ahead. "The Waffle House."

They entered the small diner to find it almost totally deserted, except but for one woman in a booth. Maes recognized her instantly.

Walking over to her, "Hey Renée, how's it going? Long time no see."

"Yeah, I just arrived in town. I was planning on stopping by later, to see how things have been going."

Almost interrupting her, Maes practically shoves a picture up her nose, "Look at this, isn't she the cutest. …" Renée sat trapped listening to Maes blabbering about his daughter.

Stepping back a little, Lisa whispered to Ed and Al out of the corner of her mouth. "That's the Bloody Cat Alchemist." Both boys flinched at this, Al making a loud 'clunk' noise when he settled back evenly onto both feet.(3)

Ed whispered back, slightly afraid of what the answer might be, "What? You're not serious, are you?"

Looking like Ed had said something funny, she continued, "Oh, don't be silly, it's not that bad. She couldn't hurt a person, let alone a cat. She got her name for two reasons. The reason for bloody is that she can't perform alchemy."

Both boys gave her a strange look, and Al asked, "Isn't she an alchemist?"

"Yes, and no." This earned her a stranger look from the boys. "She can't, but her blood can. No one is quite sure how, I'm not even sure she does. This makes it so her blood could become a very deadly weapon, or a healing miracle." Seeing the confused looks she explained, "Think about it, to be able to literally do alchemy on the problem. Curing individual cells, removing inoperable tumors, and other problems." Shaking her head, she seemed to come back to earth. "Well, there are no accounts of her ever hurting anyone, not even rumors, but many cases of her healing people. The cat is because of her attitude towards the military and orders, she is even known to some as the cat of the military. Let me explain. Have you ever tried to command a cat? I'll look at you and do whatever it feels like. She nearly drove her first commander into an early retirement, after only a month. She regretted that later when her nickname arose. Her first commander went to his commander to try to get her out of his command. He told his commander, 'If you don't remove that bloody cat from my staff, I'll go insane.' Well, the name floated around a little while and when the Fuhrer heard it, well, she became the Bloody Cat Alchemist."

Both boys stood in a sort of information overload kind of stance, until Ed asked, "What about the uniform then, isn't it military protocol?"

"That is one of my favorite loop holes," Lisa said, giggling, "It's against the rules to have any color but white socks on, while in uniform. Well, she wears black socks, thus making it against orders."

Renée finally able to break into Maes continuing chatter, laughing, "I see you haven't changed a bit, Motor Mouth. Why don't we push some tables together and all eat together?"

Roy Mustang broke in, "That's a great idea Armstrong, Havoc, push some tables together."

Armstrong stood flexing his muscles, his shirt inexplicitly missing, saying, "That will be an easy task, for me at least." Soon Armstrong and Havoc had pushed eighteen tables together in two rows.

Ed found himself sitting near one end of the table with Al sitting next to him; on his other side was Renée.

Maes sitting down across from Renée saw Renée and Ed sitting next to each other, and he rushed to introduce them. "Oh you two haven't met yet. Renée this is Edward Elric, the Full Metal Alchemist, and Ed this is Renée, the Bloody Cat Alchemist. Oh, dam, that's not as bad as it sounds."

Renée interrupted Maes smiling, "It's okay. Lisa already filled them in, or did you not hear the clunk when they flinched, while you were talking to me." Shaking Ed's hand, she noticed that he wasn't wearing a glove. "Don't you have a glove? Syrup would wreak that auto-mail, and Ms. Rockbell wouldn't be happy if you wreaked her work, again."

Looking a little stunned by her general knowledge, "Ah yeah, oh, this is my little brother Al."

Renée shook Al's hand as well, saying, "It's nice to meet you. Your father is a very gifted, idiot."

Before they could respond, the bubbly waitress suddenly pulled up to their tables. "Hello, are you already to order?" After taking everyone's orders, Renée asked the waitress to delay hers, she skated into the back. Maes broke through all the attempted small talk, and started to talk about Elysia. Luckily the waffles soon arrived.

Almost everyone was done eating when Maes asked, "Hey Renée, what does that general expect you to do now? It should be worth a few laughs."

"I don't know, I was hungry. I didn't really look. All I saw was a picture before I shoved the folder in my briefcase." Renée answered uninterested, sipping her malt.

"Well, what was the picture of, then?"

"Some guy."

Maes looked at her frustrated, "Just spit it out. What does he look like?"

Sighing, "If you really care that much. The picture just shows an Isbalin guy. You know normal looking, brown skin, and red eyes. Almost perfectly normal except for his white hair and a scar on his face." The whole table fell quiet.

Maes now sounding more scared than interested asked, "What sort of scar?"

"A white X, on his face. Why?" Sipping her malt she looked around. Sounding confused Renée asked, "Why is everyone silent all of a sudden?"

Mustang was the first one to break the silence. "You been out of state recently visiting Drachma(4), so you haven't heard. You just described an Isbalin called Scar. He's been killing State Alchemists. He's murdered several so far, and many other people who have gotten in his way. He's even gone after Full Metal a couple of times. No one really knows where he is right now, although it is thought he may be wounded." Even though he had spoken softly, everyone had heard him.

Picking up her briefcase off the floor, Renée rifled through it. Pulling out an official looking piece of paper, "Well that explains 'put him out of action.' Well now, what am I going to do about this?"

Almost everyone had left, leaving only Renée, Ed, Al, Lisa, Armstrong and the occasional waitress in the now empty feeling diner. Ed was finishing off fifths with Armstrong, while Al and Lisa played a card game. Renée was sorting through many pieces of paper that had been in the folder, taking up the four nearest table and one behind her. The only thing from the folder still in her briefcase was the picture.

She was holding a page closely to her face, going over one of the paragraphs of outrageously small print, when she jumped from her chair yelling, "Ah!" Grabbing a pencil from behind her right ear, she circled some of the print in the middle of the paragraphs.

Lisa looked up from her cards, "Find the loop hole?"

"No, I found Big Foot.(4) Of course, I found it." Hugging the page, she began throwing paper randomly back into the folder. "Sometimes I love small print. It says here 'By 'put him out of action' we mean kill him! Give us a body we can give to the dead Alchemist's families.' So if I just stop him from killing people, I'm still not obeying orders. Hah, military protocol and General What Is His Name?"

Ed pushed his plate away from him and pulled another to him. "So, what are you going to do now?"

Now looking a little less excited. "Good question. Well I plan to find him, who knows how yet. Then I'll tag around with him for a while, find a way to redirect him peacefully, and then stop him permanently. Even if he isn't the sort a guy I think he is. I might be able to dig something up out of the library or ask around. Someone has to know something." She looked at the Elrics with a raised eyebrow, "You wouldn't happen to know anything by chance, would you?"

"What sort a guy do you think he is?"

"A good guy, just a little confused."

Al looked over at his brother, "Brother?"

Ed looked over at Al, then at Renée, "Oh alright, alright already. Last we heard Scar is currently in the north somewhere, above North city. He's probably at one of the fugitive Isbalin camps. But, he only attacks state alchemists because of their involvement in the Isbalan war." He stabbed the waffles if front of him viscously, then as a sort of side note, he added, "But when you run across him, be careful. His right arm can do half alchemy because of some tattoos. So, be careful." Before he shoved, amazingly, a whole waffle in his mouth. Then, in a waffle in his mouth sort a voice he added, "Happy?" staring at his brother.

"Tattoos?" Shaking her head she thanked Ed calmly "Yes, I will be careful. Thank you for all your help. I hope you are successful finding the stone." Then in her normal upbeat tone she said, "I better be leaving now." Standing up she looked over at Lisa and Armstrong, "I would appreciate it, if the military wasn't privy to this information, if you wouldn't mind."

"What Ma'am? Sorry, I dozed there for a second, it won't happen again. Did I miss anything important?" Lisa asked, politely.

Looking at Lisa, Armstrong added in his normal, I'm the greatest voice, "I seem to tragically have had a lapse of attention, and I am deeply sorry for that."

Smiling, Renée left the shop, after placing some money on top of the bill. Opening the little door, she heard the jingle of the bell and said goodbye to everyone.

Al turned back to the table, seeing the money she had left on the bill, "Wow, I have to go get Renée, she must have made a mistake! She left a thousand dollars!" Al tried to stand up, but was stopped by Lisa's hand.

"Don't worry about it. I've known her for a couple years, and she hasn't made a mistake yet, unless she does it on purpose. Actually this was the first time I've seen her not knowing about something and its neighbor's cat. Anyway, how do you think her favorite waffle diner has stayed open in such a business neighborhood; and under the same family's ownership for so many years?"

"Oh." Al sat back down.

Ed looked over at Lisa, "How come she knew so much about us, and everyone else?" Shoving another waffle in his mouth looking at Lisa.

"No one really knows. She just does, some claim she can talk to cats, but that's just silly. She gets around a lot, and people talk to her. She probably just keeps her ears open, and connects the dots."

Ed stood up, (how after twenty nine waffles we will never know) "We'd better head out. We still need to check out the library today. Come on Al I'll race you." With that he raced out the door, Al and Armstrong following close behind him.

Walking out of the diner Lisa looked into the distance, "Good luck, Cat." Smiling she turned back towards the boys and continued after them.

1 Authors note: Yeah Author note one! This will be rare, but funny. Unfortunately if this was but in the text it would confuse you so here it is.  This has been a false alarm of the Authors note system. 

 Authors note: Waffles!

 Authors note: made you jump! Bwahhha!

 Authors note: Country north of the place where the State lives.

 Authors note: Big Foot exists! I know because he told me so. In my dreams, after taking cold meds.

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	2. Chapter 2

Chapter: 2 Mush 

**"**I can't believe my train didn't stop here. It's only, the middle of the forest. That put me out of the way by 20 whole miles! Well I almost there. I should be seen soon. Bleh," She got splashed again, "Stupid kayak." A bird call pierced the forest silence. "Hm, I wonder if they know the falcon call their using has been extinct here for the last two decades?"

"Halt," yelled a masculine voice from the woods. Looking around she could not see it's origin because of the foliage. So, she just steered herself to a nearby river bend. Getting out, she hide the kayak in the sparse undergrowth near the river.

A minute later, she heard sounds of several people closing in, "Who commands me so?"

"We do," says an elder Isbalin male, who stepped out of the forest. The small band with him were all males in their teens, except their leader. They all had their rifles and two crossbows pointed at her. Even the three they had left in the bushes had their guns pointed at her.

"Well this isn't much of a way to treat a guest. Anyways if the military was attacking they wouldn't send just one person. Trust me, there to stupid for subterfuge, all they know is blunt force.

The youngest that wasn't hiding looked up at the elder who seemed to be in charge. "She's right you know."

The elder snorted, "You can never be too careful. Josten, Mallen, go disguise her craft better." Pointing at Renée with his gun, "You, keep your hands in front of you. We can figure out why you're here later. Everyone remember she's dangerous don't take your eyes off her. Let's go."

"Where we going?" Renée asked.

The elder grunted in return.

"Well let's make this fast, I have places to be you know."

After giving her an evil look the elder set out. The two boys carrying crossbows went to hide her kayak, but they soon returned running up to the elder in the lead.

"Did you hide it?" He asked gruffly not really paying attention.

The boys looked at their feet while the taller stammered out, "Sorry, we couldn't find it."

The elder gave Renée another evil look, before continuing on. Only a few yards into the forest was a small camp. It wasn't the biggest she'd seen, but it was of good size. Hopefully this one would benefit her and not just give her a headache. The elder slipped into a large tent and spoke with its inhabitant. When the elder emerged again, a woman much older then the man, accompanied him.

The man pointed at Renée, "Elder, this is the military dog we captured. We believe she's an alchemist." He recoiled slightly, at the stare he was receiving, since he had said 'dog', from Renée.

The woman looking over at Renée, she yelling at the guards "Put those down!" Then to the man she continued, "You are an idiot. Apologize right now!"

Still pointing his, now shacking gun at Renée, "What for? She works for the State!"

"You accuse the Bloody Cat Alchemist of being a dog of the military!"

Stammering he lowered his gun, "This is the Bloody Cat Alchemist." Looking again at Renée he apologized, "I'm internally sorry, Ma'am. You can't be to careful now a days."

Waving it of, Renée turned to the woman, "That's okay. Shisara, I told you, you be some one important someday. You've changed a lot."

Hugging Renée, Shisara smiled worriedly, "And you haven't. You look exactly the same as twenty years ago."

As she glanced worriedly at the tent, Renée asked, "What's wrong?"

Shisara asked, "I don't want to be a problem, but."

"Don't worry about it, what ever it is I'll help."

"Well, there's someone who needs your services. I can except it, if you don't want to help him, of course, but he."

Interrupting, looking concerned, "What's wrong?"

Sighing, Shisara led her into the tent. On the ground was a young man, almost completely covered in blood. On closer inspection it turned out that the blood was stained into some bandages, from a serious stomach wound. And evident across his face across his face, was a white X.(1)

"Well, it appears we can help each other. Although this is going to be, fun." Frowning Renée knelt beside his body, and began inspecting the blood stained bandages.

Waking up to a flash of pain, Scar opened his eyes. Looking around, without moving his head. He believed he was still in the tent he had fallen asleep in, but it was warmer out now. Someone entered the tent. His vision was still blurry from the pain, but he could make out a bright top, darkish bottom and something shined near the middle. Before he could turn his head, for a better look. The person knelt beside him, touching his side it sent a jolt of pain up his side. Grunting the sudden pain, he closed his eyes.

A female voice reached his ears, through the sudden walls of pain, that in compensated his whole body. "So, the patient has awakened. It seems my pain killers wore of, …"During the pause the pain seemed to vanish suddenly, "That should be better. You're going to fall asleep again soon so before you do, I'll introduce myself. My name is Renée" He tried to move his head to see her better, but was stopped quickly by a hand. "Don't you dare move! You'll reopen your wounds," sounding annoyed she continued, "Again, and I'll be stuck here for another stinking week. You'll need another day or so, to recover enough to move." Sighing the tightness around his stomach seemed to vanish, as a smell of dried blood, and rotting flesh filled the room, "Wow, that stinks. Well we'll just have to wrap that up again." As she said this, his stomach was tightened again. "So you should g o t o sl ee p n o …"

Some time later, he awoke again, but this time with out the flash of pain. It was darker out, and he was once again alone in the tent. Sitting up, he thought, 'Well at least I'm alone.' Looking around to verify this, he noticed a small beat up briefcase. It had only one simple flip lock. Checking himself out, he noticed some fresh linen bandages where wrapped around his wound tightly. The wound was annoyingly numb, so he couldn't tell how severe it still was.

Sitting up he tried to move his legs. Which didn't happen. After several minutes of trying to move his lower body with no success, he laid back down exhausted.

Realizing there was nothing he could do, he let his mind wander, it soon settled on the Renée person, and what was probably her briefcase.

Who was she? She was obvisely not Isbalin, who would carry a briefcase, when fleeing death. Maybe a near by medic they had found. No, they couldn't let an non-Isbalin see him, it was too dangerous. Looking towards the front of the tent, he saw her briefcase, unlocked, in easy reach. Even though he hated breaking into people's things, especially a ladies, he eventually grabbed the briefcase and opened it.

Looking around making sure no one was coming, he placed the open briefcase next to him. Inside he found an open med kit, with medical junk strewn around. Stuffing it all back into the med box. A blue bundle of clothing appeared. Seeing nothing below the clothing, he looked up. And there, was a folder strapped to the inside of the top of the briefcase. Paying that no mind, till he saw the emblem. Removing the folder, he looked closer at the folder. On the outside was a military emblem in blue ink.

'So, she works for the military, that can't be good.' Opening the folder, paper fell everywhere. As he began to stuff them back in the folder, a paper caught his eye. It also had the military symbol in the top corner, but what interested him was the first line.

It said, 'Official orders of The Bloody Cat Alchemist, put 'Scar' out of action'.

Disgusted he placed the folder down. "An Alchemist!"

A shadow descended across the folder. "I should have known you would wake-up earlier than expected." The female voice, Renée growled from the tent flap. Looking up, he saw a youngish maiden in dark blue military pants, a white under shirt, and the tale tell sign of an Alchemist, a silver chain dangled from her right pocket.

"Well," Suddenly smiling, she offered him two bowls, "Do you want carrot mush or broccoli mush?"

The next morning, and Scar stood in front of a large, burnt out, rocky, disrupted ground, just plain odd looking, hole, dent, thing. All around, the camp was full of life, as people rushed to dissemble the camp before the State arrived.

Renée walked up behind inspecting her shirt, "How's"

Okay readers, I'm not much into fights so, there's your first outline intervention.

Scar turns around planning to disconnect Renée's head from her body

(with half Alchemy)

Renée dodges

Lots of Scar trying to connect his hand with Renée's body in general

Renée doges last second always

Several people walk by, acting like nothings happening

Scar eventually gets tired

Renée pushes him over, and continues talking like nothing happened

"Mr. Grumpy to day?" Finally acknowledging the fight, "Well at least this time you didn't get my shirt dirty. Do you know how hard it is to get carrot out of clothing?"

Scar grunted. Panting, he stood up.

"How long are you going to keep this up? There's no way you'll ever defeat me, I'm just too good for you. Except it and life will be a lot easier, for the both of us. Well I got good news for you. Well you can remove those bandages now, you should be fully healed a little sore at most."

"All ready did."

She made an hmf, sound in a your no fun tone. Then in a more solemn attitude, "Just use any half alchemy or what ever you call it. Then they'll know you were here. Knowing that they'd hunt down ever last tone of these people, and probably hurt them. It's going to be hard enough cleaning up this little mess." Sighing, she suddenly happily continued with a twinkle in her eye, "Anyway, I have a fun way to give these people a little more time. If your willing to help."

Just then, Shisara walked up. "It was nice seeing you again Renée. Scar we hope you listen to this alchemist, she's a different than the others."

Renée hugged Shisara, "I'll miss you too Shisara, but I'm not sure if I'm the only cat in this military."

Looking confused, "What do you mean?"

"I think there's a kitten in this dog of a State. He just needs to lengthen his backbone a little. He's on his way though." Looking back at Shisara, "We'll you'd better hurry, they'll be here in two hours." Rubbing her hands together, evilly "Just enough time for me to set a little game up."

Shisara laughing, she turned away, "Well have fun then." Looking back at Scar, "Be safe."

Scar nodded his head. "Thank you for the hospitality." With that, Renée and Scar watched as the Isbalin camp moved into the trees.

Finally, when the last Isbalin disappeared into the trees, Renée turned to Scar, "We better get started. They'll be here in a hour and half."

"Why are you helping us, you're a dog of the State?"

Looking at Scar she asked, "Your lucky I don't slap you for using the 'D' word. (2) (2) Anyway, just because I work for the State in name, automatically make me a bad person? I want to help people that need help. What's wrong with that? I don't ask you to trust me, just help me give them more time to escape. Think of this as a bonus, a chance to kick the military in the (mature audiences only)(3) and get away scott free? How often does that happen? Join in if you want to, but if not I recommended running. Also the chance of them getting with out this is quite unlikely. So, kick or run?" She smiled evilly.

Scar looked from Renée, to where the camp had left. Sighing, "What do you need?" Renée smile some how got bigger.(4)

 Authors note: Stupid people, its Scar.

 Authors note: for those of us that don't get this, she means dog.

 Authors note: I don't qualify, Wahhhh! 

 Evil Smiles!

5


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter: 3 Rabbit**

After the soldiers circled the small camp, the order was given and the soldiers charged with guns at the ready, in a shoot now, ask questions later attitude. Back at the ship, the commanding officer sat waiting for the noises of the conflict to reach him in his control room. So when a private entered instead, he was angry.

"Report, Private Lunar. What is happening at the scene?" he demanded.

Saluting Lunar reported, "Lieutenant Colonel Sir, the target is no longer at the site. We believe they fled after a fire tore threw their camp."

"What?" The lieutenant colonel stood up, "Led me there now Private!" The private nearly jumped a foot into the air, before running out the door closely followed by the lieutenant colonel.

Reaching the clearing in little time the private stops and falls on a near by tree panting. The lieutenant colonel, unfazed, turns to another private standing nearby. Who was poking a brunt timber with his foot.

"Private what started this fire?"

Startled he looked up, hastily saluting; he stammered out, "Sir, we haven't found the fires origin yet, Sir."

The lieutenant colonel looking around angrily, noticed the many burnt tent structures. "Hm, where are they now then?"

Looking at his feet, the private sighed, "Um, um. We have no clue."

He began to yell at anyone, and everyone. A sergeant ran up, "Sir, we've found another camp, Sir"

Turning to the sergeant, "What information have you gathered about it?"

"We believe it to be at most two people. Who are not both, Isbalin. Private Andrew is going in for a closer look. Sir."

Looking at the sergeant, he yelled, "Take me there, NOW!" The new sergeant jumped and began to run into the bush, as the lieutenant colonel chased him. A few moments later, they ran into a camouflage-covered soldier.

Seeing the lieutenant colonel and sergeant he saluted, "Sirs, they seem to be from the military. We haven't made contact yet. They didn't notice me due to there consist arguing. The female is an alchemist and appears to be in charge. The other one seems to work for her, but he's Isbalin looking."

"Then what are you waiting for! Led on!"

"Yes sir! Follow me."

As they began to run into the forest, sounds began to drift threw the thick forest.

"Idiot! I still can't believe you went and set the place on fire. It was my best lead! And now they know the State has a fake Isbalin. I told you, just go in, and see if you find out anything. Being in that form you should have gotten a lot of clues, but no, you burn down our best stinking clue!" At this point, they could just make out a woman, yelling at the Alchemist killer Scar. Stunned they stopped, watching the scene play out.

Scar, who was sitting, looked up at her, and unapologetically countered, "One, it was your best led. And two, sorry Ma'am. It was a human mistake, I tripped into a tent, which fell into the fire and burst a flame. Then like any sane human, I ran away, from the flames. Unlike the stupid Isbalin," Then losing the mocking tone, "Come on already, turn me back to normal already!"

Steaming she took a swing at his head. Luckily Scar dogged it, since it embedded itself in a tree.(1) "Idiot. Not until you relies the mistake you made! Now they know there is a fake Scar. They'll be prepared next time. Argg" She turned around stomping her feet, until she final noticed the stunned commanders.

When she stopped stopping Scar broke in, "I get it already, it's been forever. Turn me back already. Com"

Putting her hand on Scar's mouth to stop him from talking, "Um, hi. How long have you been, standing there, exactly?"

The lieutenant colonel entered the clearing, "Soldiers keep your guns aimed at both of them. Now, explain, who are you? And what are you doing here?"

Back to being ticked she snapped back, "Why should I?"

"I'm a lieutenant colonel of the State military, and I have over twenty guns pointed at you."

"Great brass, and don't over count your guns, you have two with you."

Scar stood up, "Sir I'm 2nd lieutenant Logan Gruman and this is my, current, commander the Bloody Cat Alchemist. Sir."

The camouflaged private broke in, confused, "Am I the only one who's confused here That's Scar isn't it?"

At this comment, Renée burst out laughing, nearly falling over, and 'Gruman' (Scar)(2) grunted lifting up his left sleeve revealing a pulsing, blood red, transmutation circle, dropping his sleeve back in place "Happy? Stupid thing still gives me the creeps."

The Lieutenant Colonel grunted, "Well that covers that, but what are you doing here?"

Renée bending down she opened her briefcase, and took out a piece of paper. Showing him the paper it stated, 'The Bloody Cat Alchemist is on a Top Secret mission, that is unofficial. Any officer should give her the space an Alchemist deserves.'

"The Bloody Cat Alchemist following orders, I don't believe it."

"Hmf, the simple minded. I'm not following orders, he is. He's doing all of the work, not very well, I might add."

"Hey, that stupid fire wasn't my fault. How was I supposed to know, they would act like that?"

"Idiot! How stupid are you? I thought I explained the Isbalin communal ties to you! They'd practically kill themselves to save another of their religion."

Scar stuck his tongue out at Renée.

"Sorry to break this up, but I demand, to know what you had to do at my location. Right before an attack was planned!"

"So sorry, for stopping your planned holocaust. But I need info, and this was the only place to look."

"And why, dose your lackey, look like Scar. I didn't even now that was possible."

Waving it off, "The Alchemy's quite simple, and he had to be someone they could trust."

"Well that explains that, sorry for the trouble. Soldiers put down your weapons." Sighing, "I sorry Miss, but we heard that Scar might be in the area." Scratching the back of his head he looked at them. "Well, we're going to camp here tonight, then head back to Northern. We could give you two a ride, if you want."

Looking a little worried, Renée smiled, "Sorry, but we were planning on leaving today, actually. We wouldn't want to get in your way, anyway."

"Nonsense we have plenty of supplies, and you'll make better time with us. Unless you don't trust me."

"We'd love to stay."

Scar mouth dropped, "We would?"

Giving Scar an evil look, "Yes, we, would."

"Great, well I'm Lieutenant Colonel Gearnit, at your serves. You can call me Gearnit of course Ma'am. Well let's go."

Touching his shoulder, she said, "Actually could you give us a second, we have to go get the food bags and other supplies. We'll met you back in camp, where are you camping?"

"Inside the Isbalin camp seems good." Looking over at Scar for he's reaction, "Doesn't it soldier?"  
Renée hissed, "Logan, go get the food bags."

As Scar walked into the forest, Renée turned back to Gearnit, smiling. "We'll join you at the camp site in a few minutes."

Running into the forest, she looked towards Scar. "Wait up, Logan. You're going the wrong way."

Once a good distance into the forest, Renée stopped near a tree. Further up the tree was a small bag of food.

Scar grunted, "Want me to get the stupid thing."

Renée who was still steaming, kicked the tree knee high. The bag of food fell into Scar's arms.

"That works too."

Now yanking on her foot, which she had managed to get stuck in the tree.(3) She nearly yelled, "That complete idiot. He knows some things up. So he's practically holding us prisoner for two days. Just waiting, for one of us to slip up."  
"Why are you so put up about one commander? You know, I don't care. I'm leaving, it was, interesting, meeting you, but I hope to never, see you again, alive."

"I wouldn't do that. You'll not only doom yourself, but the village as well." Sitting down, as best as she could, since her foot was stuck knee high in a tree. Ignoring the look she was getting from Scar she continued, "Gearnit has enough men to cover every square inch of land in a at least a eighty mile radius, before sundown." Sighing she shook her head, "Then being him, he have everyone shot, and I mean everyone. After that he would send at least a hundred men after you. You may be lucky, but not even you, can survive thirty bullets to the head alone."  
looking shocked, he sat down on a tree stump, "No commander is allowed that much power in the military."

"And you think Alchemy is the thing wrong with the State. Boy are you naive. The States so corrupt, it would fall apart with out corruption." Yawning she looked over at Scar. "Could you give me a hand here?"

Growling Scar stood up. Several minutes later, Renée's foot was no longer part of a tree.

As Renée inspected the hole, Scar went and sat back down on the stump. "Isn't that a nice hole." Waving her hand over it, it began to close.(4) Turning back to Scar when the hole was gone. Clapping she glanced evilly at Scar, "Well, if we're going to keep up this charade. We might as well make it convincing. What color eyes do you want?"

"What?" looking at Renée as if she where mad, nearly falling of the stump backwards.

"Well, we're in what would be considered safe company. So it would be better if you looked, 'normal'." Making hand signals (" ") in the air she continued. "Also this will keep our stories strait. Don't worry the change will only be a few skin layers deep at most. That tattoo won't be erased, just lowered down in the skin layers. So you could still use it, not that I recommend it."

Slowly Scar asked, still giving her a look like she was mad. "You want me, to let you, perform Alchemy, the forbidden art, that I'm trying to destroy, on me?"

"One it really isn't alchemy, and two if it was. How is it any better than that arm?"

Sitting there for a few seconds, opening and closing his mouth. Finally, still ticked looking, he gave in, "Blue hair."

Renée smiled.

Five minutes later a tall white guy, with short choppy blue hair, and light blue eyes entered the camp with Renée. The camp was neatly organized with rows of small blue tents nearest the outside, and several larger tents in the middle. In between every four tents was a small cooking fire, where men sat around cooking, everything from squirrel to canned of beans. Although they sat uniformly they seemed relaxed and laughter drifted from many of the fires. As Renée and Scar neared the center of the camp, they got a closer look at the large tents. The tents were all blue, and except for two tents, they were completely blank. The smaller of the two tents sat next to the largest tent, and had the Alchemist symbol on the door. While the largest tent, had Geraint's symbol.

Renée seeing the large cooking fire, near the large tents, waved in its general direction, "Gruman, cook the food while I go talk to Gearnit." Not waiting for an answer she entered Gearnit's tent. Inside was a large table with several maps, of the region, scattered on top it. Gearnit and two of his officers sat around the table taking in hushed tones.

Noticing Renée sitting down in the unoccupied seat, Gearnit looked up. "Oh, Bloody Cat, I didn't see you come in." Pointing to the two officers Gearnit introduced them. "This is Major Landerson and this is Major Sorenson. Majors, this of course is the Bloody Cat Alchemist."

Shaking first Landerson, and than Sorenson hands, "Hello Glipt. Nice to meet you Jake."

"Yes, moving on. We were just trying to figure out what started that fire."

Glipt broke in, "I believe they set the fire, to throw us of their tracks."

Interpreting Glint, Jake pointed at the maps. "Or that some local vandal band came in and killed some Isbalin, and the Isbalans fled the disaster. Or it could have just been an accident."

"Yeah, like an out of control cooking fire."

"Or."

"Shut up!" Gearnit shouted, turning to Renée, "I was hoping, since you where here at the time of the fire, you might enlighten us to what happened."

"Okay. Well, as I already told you in the woods. I sent my assistant, 2nd Lieutenant Logan Gruman, in looking like Scar. Hoping to arise so clues to where the real Scar might be. Right before the fire started, he was poking around for locations of other nearby camps. At about dusk he accidentally pushed a tent over into a cooking fire. Starting the fire. Soon the whole camp was a blaze. By the time I arrived, they were all gone."

Glipt snapped, "Why didn't you use a different disguise, than Scar?"

"Would have been too suspicious, a lone traveling Isbalin, looking for a single man. Has military written all over it. But, if there are two Scars some interesting questions might arise."

Jake poked his face into hers, "Why didn't you follow them?"

Calmly Renée wiped spit of her face, "How could I? I was two miles away, sleeping at the time. The fire was still out of control, and we didn't have any supplies to do that sort of thing. Anyways, why should I have? I knew Scar wasn't with them?"

Gearnit stood up, "Majors stop. This isn't an interrogation, yet."

Renée also stood up, "Well, on that happy note, I bid you good day. It was nice meeting you, but I'm tired, and Logan has some minor burns that I have to check on." With that Renée slid out of the tent.

Looking up from his place at the cooking fire, Scar offered her a spindled rabbit angrily, "Rabbit?"

Looking a little disgusted, "No, thank you. When you're done eating, meet me in my tent." Coolly she entered the tent with the Alchemist symbol on it. Sitting down on a small pad near the bed, she took out a pen a paper, while listening to the camp until half an hour later, when Scar entered the tent.

 Authors note: I really mean embedded, I don't kid around with this word. Her hand is in the tree so far her wrist is barely visible.

 Authors note: Scar Gruman and Logan are the same person, their all Scar, Logan Gruman is just an alias

 Authors note: And I mean stuck. It's a good size tree and you can't see her ankle, at all the boots gone too.

 Authors note: Yes, She's healing a tree.

6


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Bread And Water 

Once Renée left Gearnit's tent, Glipt turned to Gearnit. "Are you sure she is up to something?"

"She's up to something alright. I know it, she always is. She is quite capable of changing a man to look like that, but I want to know why she wants to contact Scar. Her orders are just a convent excuse."

"Maybe, she just wants to stop a murderer."  
Jake brook in, "That can't be it. She's greatly against violence, especially the death sentence. Even for the worst criminals. If she captured him, he'd get the death penalty for sure. She looking for Scar, so she can benefit her own secret agenda."

"Where's your evidence of this secret agenda? She could just be doing her job."

"Evidence! Haven't you heard about her personal file? It has three different believable myths about it. Supposedly it takes up a three office buildings, full of filing cabinets. Another says that the investigation department wouldn't even talk to you, unless, you got her for something capital."

Gearnit, who had been sitting back, leaned forward, "Like hiding, an at large, State Alchemist killer."

"But the only at large Alchemist killer is Scar."

"Exactly."

Back in her tent Renée waited for, Scar while righting a letter.

When he finally came in, he wasn't happy. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes I did, but for now, just play along. I'll explain later."

"What are you," The tent walls came down and several guns were pointed at them, "talking about."

One of the gunmen poked his gun into Renée's back. "Brigadier General Bloody Cat Alchemist, you are under arrest."

Sighing Renée set down her pencil, "Again?" Standing up, Renée stretched, "Where to now?"

"A prisoner tent. Don't you want to know why you're being accused of treason?"

"Not really." Giving her a funny look, the guards led her and Scar to a small prisoner tent. Inside were two small cots and water basins.

Before Scar could ask what had happened, Renée collapsed on a bunk. "I'm being tried for treason. Again!"

"Again?"

Now talking to herself more than anyone else. "I wonder what it's for this time. It has to be something major, or they wouldn't even consider taking it to court. Their timing is perfect thou, just when I was about to do something important. I wonder what they plan to use this time. They've tried, firing squad twice."

"Twice?"

"Poisons, complete isolation, starvation, sword fights. Maybe, they'll do something new."

Scar sat down on the other bunk and thought, to himself, 'Okay, she is definitely, insane.'

Turning to look at him, before falling asleep, "Maybe."

"Wake-up. We're shipping out in ten minutes!" A young sergeant ran into the tent yelling. He soon found himself, flat on his back with a pillow plastered to his face.

Poking the sergeant, Scar asked, "Is he dead?"

"No, no. It wouldn't even leave a bruise." Yawning she sat up. "I'm, just not a morning person."

A private ran up to Renée, offering a plate. "Here's some bread and Water Ma'am."

Excepting the small bowl from the boy she handed it to Scar. "Thank you. Your smart, unlike your friend there. You'll go far in the military." The boy ran off again smiling. Without even looking at the food, Scar threw it into the corner. "Good idea, it was laced with a pretty nasty neurotoxin. Well, let's get out of here before they bring the tent down on top of us."

As soon as the exited the tent Gearnit stormed up. "Who, let you, out of the tent!"

Calmly Renée pointed at the still out cold sergeant, "He did." As Renée and Scar watched Gearnit's face turn funny colors, a Private ran up.

"Sir, the boat is ready to depart, Sir."

Gearnit's color show finally ended, as he told the private to get the sergeant onboard, and led Renée and Scar onto the boat. Below decks he led them to as small isolated room. "Get, In."

Renée looking to push buttons, asked "Have any checkers?"

Pointing at one of the two guards, "Go, Get, Checkers."

The guard flat out ran towards the crews' cabins. Soon, he returned with the checkers. "Here you go Sir."

Grabbing the checkers he shove them into Renée's hands. "Here's the stupid checkers. Now, Get, In."

"Okay," turning to Scar, "Logan, do you know how to play checkers?"

"No."

"Oh well." Handing the checkers back to Gearnit. "Here you go. How long till we reach Northern?" How she was able to make it threw this with only a little smile, I do not know. As Gearnit slammed the door, Scar sat down, and Renée giggled a little. "I love ticking him off. It's so much fun." Checking the room quickly, she turned to Scar. "I can't believe it, this room is completely sound proof."

It had been a little while, about an hour ten minutes and thirty-two seconds(1), by Renée's assumption. Scar was staring at a spot on the wall and Renée was pacing bored. Finally, fed up Renée turned toward Scar. "So, you lived in Isbalal, is your brother alive?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I do."

"No."

"Oh, I was afraid of that. I'm sorry for your loss."

"How did you know I had a brother?"

"Well, a grapevine or two, and your arm confirmed it." After a few seconds, relishing Scar wasn't going to ask further. "Do you blame your brother?"

Turning he looked at her, "Why should I?"

"Well," counting of on her fingers, "He was the whole reason the war ever started. Him and his research into the Philosopher's Stone. Then there's the fact that he was the one who cursed you with that arm."

Turning his head away, Scar was saved the need to answer, when the boat stopped suddenly, and the door opened.1(2)

 Authors note: She's right. She could name the nanoseconds if you want. (for you psycho people like me its 23)

1 Sorry for shortness. Wahhhh!

3


	5. Chapter 5

**Honestly how many of you want to kill me? Personally I applaud you all if you had this watched, its not that good I think. Well this is kinda a first draft, but it was this or nothing and deciding this was better. If you have any Qs you can send them to me. Yes this is a giant chapter I'm to lazy to separate them all out.**

**Chapter 5********: Dirt**

They had finally reached Northern, and where in a high-ranking dudes office. Renée sat slumped, in a comfy chair, in front of a desk. Behind the desk sat a lean middle-aged man, who looked unhappy. Gearnit currently stood in front of the desk next to Renée. While Scar stood near the door.

Looking around, the man behind the desks eyes finally settled on Renée, "So what did you do this time?"

Renée shrugged, "Noth."

Gearnit cutting her of mid word, "Sir, the Bloody Cat Alchemist is suspected of helping an illegal Isbalin camp escape, and hiding the perp Scar. Sir."

Sighing Linstan looked over at Gearnit, "I think I was asking Renée a question, not you. Now is any of this true? And quickly, I have real work to do."

"Sorry for taking up your precious time Linstan."

Growling Linstan said, "Colonel, Linstan."

"Yeah, Linstan. Anyway this imbecile of a military officer insisted, unfortunately for the both of us." Sitting upright in her chair she continued. "Well it all started when I got my new orders. I decided, I might as well read them. I thought they might be funny. Well it turns out they were, they wanted me to stop an Alchemist killer. Sounds fun doesn't it. Well I decided to use this to meet this, 'Scar,' person. On decided on this I realized I had no clue on how to find him. I needed some bait. That's when my friend Gruman here volunteered to help."

Grumbling Scar gave her an evil look. "Yeah right, you practically dragged me with you."

"That aside, I decided the best bait would be a second Scar. Think about it they'd have to be Isbalin, or cause mass panic and not many people know about Scar. So if the bait seemed too knowledgeable about him it might cause trouble. So I disguised Logan, and sent him into the nearest camp. Then everything went down hill. He burnt the camp down causing the Isbalin to flee and we argued until Gearnit showed up. Know we're here and I have little chance of finding Scar here." Standing up Renée stretched, "So if you don't mind, I'll be going now. Bye."

Turning to leave Linstan stopped her. "Sit down Cat." Turning to Gearnit he started to in that all to familiar, vein popping yell the military has monopolized, proceed to yell at Gearnit. "How Dare YOU, Bother ME, With Such Nit Picky Arguments! Go wait outside by my secretary and try and think of a way to stop from demoting you to Private! GO!"

Gearnit practically ran out the doors, with his tail between his legs. "Alright Cat. Lets skip the dance this time. What do you want and by when?"

"Thanks Linstan. Time is of the essence. I would like …"

An hour later Renée and Scar left Northern heading Southeast, both wearing a small backpack of supplies. Once they entered a near by forest putting them out of view of the city. Scar dropped his bag on the ground.

"Well aren't you mister cranky pants, Logan. Now stand still."

"What's with Logan, and why should I?" He snapped back.

"Well first everyone needs a first name, and second I want to make sure I didn't miss anything." Giving her a mean look, he began to walk away. "There your back to normal."  
"Great. Now I can leave."

As he began to walk away Renée ran up to him, putting her hand on his solder, "Logan, wait."

"Stop calling me that infernal name." Her grip suddenly grew suddenly tight. Unable to break her vice like grip he turned his head to look at her, preparing to use his half-alchemy. What he saw stopped him; a small tear had formed in her eye.

Just as it rolled down her check, her grip tighter to a point where he knew blood couldn't be reaching his hand, she said, "Don't you ever insult that name."

With that her grip loosed and he pulled out of it. "Why?"

"That name belongs to someone important to me." She turned away, grabbing Scar's bag she stopped.

"Who?"

Turning back around, she looked normal once more, with that somewhat scary smile across her face. "I have no reason to tell you that. But, if you help me, I'll answer five of your questions, no lies." As Scar began to walk away, she asked, "Don't you wonder how, I know so much about your brother and you? I'm a sixteen looking military officer. Why would I know about, a little boy from Isbalin? And his friend the military nurse who healed the sick, no mater what side they were on."

"Who are you? Do you know the healer that was there during the war?"

"Maybe I do maybe I don't, but you never know unless you can stick out two more weeks with me."

Grunting he turned back to Renée, "All I need to do, is stick around with you for two weeks?"

"That and lead me to Isbalin, I keep getting lost."

"What?"

"Yeah, it's like the stupid thing moves or something. And, well I don't fell like asking the people with maps. Their mean."

"Why would you want to go there?"

"That's for me to know, and you not to know." Smiling she started walking.

"If people could really steam from their ears, you would have sworn it was cloudy out as Scar informed her that Isbalin was the other direction. And she told him to lead on.

To be continued…

**Chapter 5: Dirt**

They had finally arrived at Northern and where in some high-ranking dudes office. Ren'ee sat in a comfy chair close to the desk, where a middle aged, lean man sat. Gearnit stood in front of his desk, and Scar/Gruman stood near the door.

After looking around the room, the man's eyes settled on Gearnit. "What is the meaning of this? The Bloody Cat Alchemist is on a very important orders, and she's probably doing something even more important."

"Cornel Linstan, The Bloody Cat Alchemist was found in a destroyed illegal Isbalian camp. Accompanying her was a man resembling the perp Scar, Sir."

Sighing, Linstan, looked over to Ren'ee. "Would you please explain this. I have some real work to do."

"Sorry to take up any of your prescious time Linstan, but this imbecile insisted unfortunately for the both of us. Well, when I got my orders, I decided to read them, just for a laugh, and it said it wanted me to stop a State Alchemist killer. So I decided to use this as a ploy to meet this Scar. I decided to put out some fake Scar's in some camps to see if the original would show himself. Logan here was the only volunteer; sorta, He wasn't to into the volunteering. So we ended up at that camp and I sent Logan in looking like Scar to see if he could stir anything up. He ended up burning the camp to the ground." Glaring over at L/Scar, "We spent the rest of the time, to Gearnit's arrival, arguing about what I was going to do then. And as you can see Logan Gruman doesn't look like Scar." She stood up, brushing of her pants, "So, if you don't mind, I'd like to stop wasting your time and leave."

Looking over at Ren'ee, Linstan calmly said, "Please sit down Bloody Cat." Then turning to look over at Gearnit he started to use that unique military fashion of yelling. "How dare you bother me with such nit picky arguments! Go wait in the waiting room, and try and think of a way to explain why I shouldn't demote you to a private. Now go!" Gearnit practically ran out of the doors with his tail between his legs. "Lets skip the dancing this time. What do you need, and by when?"

"Thanks Linstan, time is of the essence. I would like…"

An hour later Renee and Scar left Northern heading southwest. Both were wearing medium sized backpacks full of supplies. Once they entered a forest putting them out of sight from the city, Scar flung his bag on the ground. "Well, aren't you mister cranky, Logan, now stand still." "What's with the Logan thing, and why should I?" He snapped out at her to her command.

"Well, first, everyone has to have a first name and a second. I want to make sure I didn't miss anything." He gave her a mean look, and turned to walk away. "There you're back to normal." He glanced down to look.

"Great, now I can leave." He started to walk away. "Logan, wait." She ran up to his retreating back and put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Stop calling me that infernal name." Her grip on his shoulder grew suddenly tight. Unable to break her vice like grip he turned his head to look at her. What he saw amazed him. She had started to cry, not enough to escape her lower eyelid, but enough so you could tell it wasn't something in her eyes.

Tightening her grip even further, to a point where he believed blood was not reaching his hand. She said: "Don't you ever insult that name again!" With that her grip lessened and he was able to pull his shoulder from it.

"Why?"

"That name belongs to someone who was very close to me, who like you, has no memories, and was told his destiny, and he does his best to go against it." She turned and walked back to the fallen bag.

Intrigued, Scar asked, "Who?"

Turning back to him her normal smile had returned and there was no evidence of tears ever existing on her face. "I have no reason to tell you, but if you help me, I'll answer five of you questions and no matter what I won't lie." Scar looked fed up and turned away again, when she continued, "Don't you wonder how a mere girl looking to be at most sixteen years old can know so much about you and your special circumstances?" This statement earned her an especially evil look. She continued on, " All it takes from you is one maybe two more weeks of putting up with me and then you can find out anything. You also wouldn't have to go in disguise again, and if I'm correct about its general position, we won't hit any more cities. So, what do you say?"

He looked at her, she was right that he wanted to know how she knew so much, but he wondered if this was a trap. He kept on thinking another minute or so and asked, "What would I have to do?"

"Oh, that will be really easy, all I need from you is, for you to guide me to Isbala." "What!" He madly demanded

Then as if she was talking to a two year old she said, "Take me to Is-bal-a." This earned her another mad glace. "It isn't as if you would give me something I couldn't find in a Library at any town. All you would do is save me a trip into town."

"Why do you wish to go there?"

"That's for me to know, and you not to know." Smiling, she walked into another bustle of trees. If people could really steam from their ears, you would have sworn it was cloudy out. As Scar told Renee's retreating back that Isbali was to her left, she stopped and turned around. She then threw his bag at him and told him to lead on.

They walked into the night finally exiting the small forest when the moon was still high. Yet, still, they walked into the night. When they finally stopped they sun was rising slowly into the sky. They has stopped near a large outcropping of rock and made camp. While Scar collected firewood Renee started the fire. After returning from a scouting mission Scar found that the fire was ablaze and something was cooking over the fire.

"Well, welcome back Logan. Did you find a river or any camps?"

"No." He went and sat down on a small log near the fire.

"Aren't you Mr. Talkative today." She bent over the fire and removed the pot from the fire. She scooped some soup into two bowls, handing Scar a bowl. She continued saying, "Well, go to sleep after this, then when then sun sets we will try and cover as much land as we can before sunrise."

"Sounds good to me." The finished their meals in silence and set up the sleeping areas and went to sleep, just as the sun finally rested on the edge of the Earth.

As the sun began to sink once more Renee awoke and quietly put her things away. Standing up she walked over to where Scar has been sleeping. When she got a yard away from him, he suddenly sat up.

"Good Morning," Scar looked at her and then the blackening sky and gave no response. "Time to get up and go. I'll disassemble camp and you get ready." With that Renee walked over to the fire and sat down next to it.

Scar stood up and packed his supplies, then went into the forest to scout the near-by area. When he returned to the camp five minutes later, he knew he had to have gotten lost because no one has been there in a long time. "Darn-it, where is she?" Dropping from a nearby tree Renee asked, "Did I do a good enough job with the camp, Logan?"

"What's with the cover-up?" Handing Scar his pack she said, "Can't be to careful. Lets go, all ready, were burning night time." Scar had an odd feeling that she was holding something back, but decided not to ask. With that they set out again for Isbala. This pattern continued for several nights before they hit the desert.

They had just started walking that night when a steep hill caught them by surprise. After sliding to the bottom of the hill, they both stood up. Renee broke the weeklong silence with, "Sand up my pants! Sand, up, my pants!" Shaking her legs lots of sand came out. "That is so uncomfortable." Looking over at Scar, she said, "Logan, when did you get taller?" "You're sinking." Scar then said. "What!" Looking down at the quicksand now up to her ankles, "?$#"

"What?" "It's a curse" She threw her bag to her left. "Get rid of your bag, we need to reduce our weight." Scar threw his bag on top of Renee's, and then they both sank. "Lets not go that way."

"Yeah" At this point Renee had sunk to her waist, and Scar had sunk only to his ankles. "Wade towards that hill over there. There should be solid ground around there." As she began to wade through the sand, Scar picked up his feet and walked over to the hill. Sitting down he waited for Renee. A half an hour later, Renee waded out.

"I now officially hate sand. I really need a bath. Where's the nearest town?" Pointing towards the mountains in the distance, Scar said "Over the mountain range. The city's called Lipstan. It's the lost city before the river. We'd better hurry if we want to get over some of the mountains before sunrise."

"Well then why are we standing here, let's go." Renee started walking towards the mountains. "The sooner we get there the sooner I get a bath.

The sun was rising over the mountains behind them, when Scar and Renee stopped. Expecting to make camp Scar sat down on a log and looked back at Renee who was acting weirdly, even for her. She had turned back the way they had gone and was looking up the mountain they had just come down.

Suddenly she turned around and ran back to where he was sitting. "Get up, we're leaving!" she demanded. Still sitting he asked, "Why?"

Turning back to him, because she had already gone ahead. "Someone with very good trackers is following us. If we stay here for the night they will catch up with us for sure." Through this she had climbed a large tree. Which was quite interesting since there was not limbs to aid her, and the back was as smooth as paper.

Scowling he looked up at her. "How long have you known this?" he asked angrily. Jumping down from the tree, without ever wincing, she replied, "I've suspected since we left, but now I know for certain." Turning to the mountain they had yet to climb. "We better hurry, they are getting close very fast."

Following her he asked, "Your sure they're after us and not just a merchant?" "What sorta merchant walks over mountains, when they could ride around them in a train? I believe I know who our follower is." They kept walking, when Renee realized Scar wasn't going to ask, she answered the unanswered question with, "Gearnit."

Without even glancing over he asked, "I thought your friend Linstan took care of him." Looking behind them, "Apparently, not well enough." Grapping the back of his shirt she yelled, "Down!" As she pulled him to the ground at she fell.

Turning his head to her, spitting out some dirt, "What was that for?" He yelled before the sound of gunfire filled the valley. Several bullets buzzed over their heads. "That's why. Start crawling if you want to get our of here alive and unharmed." They started to crawl over the small hill they had been climbing. In the distance they heard Gearnit barking orders to his troops. "Span out, they're here, find them!"

When they finally crested the small rise they stood up and began to run. Renee motioned for Scar to follow her as she ran into the trees. They continued to run as they heard Gearnit order his soldiers into the forest. "Shoot to take them down, any way possible."

Ch. 6: Big or Little Steak 

They had continued to run through the night, just staying out of Gearnit's peoples web. They had finally gotten over the mountains and were nearing the city. They were slightly ahead of the troops now, as they got close to the city of Lipstan.

Renee turned to Scar, "I'm going into the town. I need to pick up some supplies for our trip." Scar looked over her and saw that she still had yellow pants from the quicksand. "And I need a change of clothing." Scar nodded and headed into the trees.

"I'll meet you on the other side of town tomorrow morning." Scar kept walking, giving no mention to say he had heard her. "And, don't do anything stupid." Turning into the town Renee walked confidently into Lipstan.

"Halt, who goes there?" A guard at the station called to her.

"The Bloody Cat Alchemist, I need supplies and to talk to your local military operative," she demanded.

The guard saluted, "Sorry Ma'am, if I have inconvenienced you." She stepped into the light. Seeing her pants he stuttered, "My son will help you personally. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have." Turning back to the guard tower he called, "Tisany, report."

A young boy ran out of the tower and saluted to the guard. "Yes, Sir."

Renée looked at the boy whose eyes never wavered from his father to the strange visitor. "Your ah, son, is very disciplined," looking at the guard, "Ah."

"Guard Ma'am, and thank you." Turning to his son, "Private Tinsany, your first duty will be assigned today," with this the son slightly smiled, then snapping back into his military posture. Thru all of this Renée looked kind of confused. "This is the Bloody Cat Alchemist, a Brigadier General and a State Alchemist." The boy turned to her and bowed to her.

Slightly uncomfortable in her sandy itchy uncomfortable pants Renée waved at the still bowing boy, "Ah, hi." Looking at guard, "Please call me Renée."

Guard continued, "Your duty is to assistant Miss Bloody Cat Alchemist as long as she may stay in our town, see to her ever need. Do you except Private?"

"Yes, Sir. Thank you for this opportunity." Turning to Renée, bowing again, "How may I be of service to you, Ma'am?"

Scar had easily scattered the city and found an out of the way camping spot to wait out the night. Settling down he noticed a pair of eyes in the brush. Looking at them for a second longer he laid down and stared into the sky, remembering the tales of the familiar constellations his brother use too tell him stories about how Isbala painted the sky with the images of the brave and daring hero's of the time before man's rule over this land.

The eyes store at the strange dark skinned man, as he stared up at the sky. It was well past midnight before the eyes moved. A wolf howled and the eyes jumped, and quickly disappeared. Scar glanced into the brush just as the eyes ran out of the forest towards him, attacked to a small girl who was no screaming at the top of her lungs. Followed closely by a rapid shaggy gray wolf. Sighing Scar stood up, as the girl ran behind him attacking herself to his right leg. Growling Scar tried to shake her off her leg, failing, he growled again. All the while the wolf steadily approached, until it made a deadly mistake, it tried to bite off Scar's right arm. As I said a deadly, stupid but deadly mistake. With a small girl still attacked to his leg, Scar growled cracking the knuckles of his right arm by flexing them and then placing his hand on the ground. Red lightning raced thru the ground as the ground and sky met in a fury of red lighting. The wolf was thrown into the air where he landed near the forest landing line; struggling to its feet it ran into the forest deeps limping.

Finally shacking the girl of his leg he sat down, annoyed at having being disturbed, in a near growl, "What are you doing out here if you can't protect yourself?"

Breathing heavily she sat down, slowly calming down and turning from a freaked out little girl to a scared cold little girl. "I'm, I'm," the girl stuttered scooting closer to Scar's right side.

Annoyed, "Spit it out."

"Hiding."

Confused as the girl scouted closer almost touching his arm, "From what?"

"My ... ah "

"What!"

Looking down at the ground, "My father."

Renée turned to the small boy walking beside her, as they walked towards the main branch office of the east military command post. "Your father seems very demanding of you."

"Yes, he's a good commander, thou."

Giving him a sidelong glance, "But is he a good father?"

It was silently as they approached the office, "It's been hard on him ever since mom died."

"Well," feeling a little like she wandered unto forbidden territory, "How old are you?"

"I'm eight, and so is my sister," he stopped in front of a small building, "This is it."

She fished deep into her yellow pockets, with drawling five fluff balls, two dice, a small cat figurine, ten beer bottle tops and a large grungy falling a part wallet. Taking a couple old dollars out from with in the stacks of business cards, frequent train rider cards, and military treason forms, she handed it to Tinsany. "Here go buy yourself some ice cream. Come back in about a half hour, I should be done by then." Pushing the boy towards the ice cream shop she entered the building.

It looked like most small stations; it had one room, which contained two small desks, a larger desk, and several filling cabinets. There was also a staircase that led into the second floor, where they're most likely the living quarters of the three officers that ran the office. The three officers where currently sitting at their desks doing paper work and the like.

The youngest that sat closest to her looked up from his paper work. His nameplate stated that his name was Private Dougnas. "Can I help you?" Looking at her pants slightly confused, "Ma'am?"

Taking out her silver pocket watch from pocket, dropping a couple of dice to the floor. "Hello, can I talk to the commanding officer of this post."

Seeing her pocket watch, he automatically saluted nearly tripping over his chair trying to salute and stand up at the same time. Final succeeding in standing up, "Yes, Ma'am." Glancing back at her pocket watch, as if checking something, he led her to the large desk in the back of the office, where a woman in her early 20's sat filling out paperwork. Her desk was bare except for the papers she was filling out and a nameplate that stated, Lieutenant Treman. Looking up from her work she first glanced at Renée pants and that at Douglas.

"Explain, Private." She demanded.

"Lieutenant, this is the Bloody Cat Alchemist, she asked to see you."

Standing up so fast she nearly knocked over her chair. She saluted to Renée.

Renée obviously bored waved and said, "Hi."

The lieutenant asked, "How may I help you Ma'am?"

"One second Lieutenant," she turned to the retreating Douglas, "How did you realizes which State Alchemist I was?"

Turning back to her, he blushed, "It was simple really. No other Alchemist would let their watch get such a big dent in the front, as your reported to have, and have." He then saluted again sitting down turning the other way.

Taking her watch back out of her pocket, looking at the large dent and several deep scratches in the front, shrugging she drooped it back into her pocket turning back to the still saluting lieutenant, "What's your name?"

"Lieutenant Terrie Treman, Ma'am." Finally she put her hand down, but still stood up.

Renée a little annoyed, "Alright I need three things from you. One STOP ACTING LIKE I CARE ABOUT MILITARY PROTICAL!" Terrie sat down so fast she nearly missed her chair, then almost failing out of her chair. Then Renée went on, slightly calmer, "Some general supplies for a trip I'm taking," then glancing down at her pants, "and a new change of cloths or a really good dry cleaner." Touching her pants a large clump of pants fell out of her pants, "You can't imagine how uncomfortable these are."

Recovering from the initial shock, she stood up, and with a little less military emphasis, only a little, emphasis on the little. "There's a local store called, Gat's Ray. It has anything and everything. We have an account there. Buy anything you need in it and put it on our tab." Sighing she scratched her chin aimlessly, "Sara is your mom still in the cleaning business?"

The woman behind the second small desk stood up, "Yes, Ma'am."

"Do you have some spare pants our guest could use for a little while?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Alright." Turning back to Renée, "How's that sound, you can borrow her pants and tomorrow, we we'll have your pants and an extra pair of pair cleaned and ready for you, sound good?"

"Sounds great."

Turning back to Sara, "Go get those pants." Soon Renée was wearing a pair of brownish yellowish capries, and Sara was of to her mother's house with Renée's pants, still soaked in quicksand. In case your wondering, and even if you weren't. The brownish yellow capries really clashed with her, blue military style top, and really black socks.

Stepping out of the office she felt like a complete idiot, but it had been exactly a half hour as she had said and it had gotten quite dark out in that half hour. Outside she found on of Gearnit's scouts holding Tinsany in the air dangling from his out starched arm, as he was walking towards the edge of town.

Yelling after the scout, "Hey scout let go of that boy, NOW." Startled the man turned around, still holding the Tinsany, just in time to get hit squarely in the forehead by Renée's pocket watch.

Scar sat next to the fire, just outside of the fires illuminating glow, he had made watching the small girl warming her hands by the fire. She was about seven or eight he guessed. A little young to be running away from home, but it was her choice not his. This was probably the military's fault in some way. He stood up preparing to leave; he wasn't sure why he had stayed this long anyway.

"Mister, please don't go." The little girl asked, "I'm scared."

Knowing he would regret it latter, he sat back down, "Then why are you still here?"

"I just wanted to find some more wax for my piano. Then I saw the hills, and I thought how nice it would be to be there. Without my father telling me what to do, or my, brother."

Scar sighed this was starting to get annoying, "Now what are you going to do."

The girl sniffled, "Now I'm just scarred. When it gets light out I'm going home right away. In the morning hopefully I can find my town, I think I've been wandering for hours now. Maybe Tinsany can fake it for me till then." She looked over at Scar, "Oh, how impolite of me," she stood up and curtsied saying, "My name is Tinsa Watch." Sitting back down slightly closer to Scar and the fire then before, "Dear sir what's your name?" She looked at him expecting.

"Ah," thinking of the first thing that came to mind, that wasn't Scar, "Logan."

"That's a, yawn, cool name."

Soon Tinsa was sleeping next to the now coal pile. Scar was still sitting next to the fire leaning against a log, starring into the sky, when he heard a rustle in the woods. Looking in the direction of the sound, a small black cat darted out of the bushes. He gave it no mind and continued to stare into the sky as it circled tem once, before brushing up against him and then running into the forest again as if it had been spooked.

Standing up Scar looked into the forest for the strange cat, as a scout under Gearnit's authority cam into the clearing cat, where the cat had just departed into the forest from.

Renée stood in front of the military building looking at the startled scout, who now was bleeding from a small cut in his forehead, and the nice shadow, of what was defiantly going to be a beautiful bruise in the up and coming days. Tisany had crawled back from where he had been dropped, away from the scout and towards Renée's feet. Stepping forward several steps she got between the scout and Tisany.

"Scout what are you doing here, and wearing Gearnit's crest?" Renée yelled at the scout.

The scout at this, wisely, ran like there was no tomorrow. Not no normal, there's no tomorrow run, this was an I just accidentally called Edward Elric short and tied several bloody dripping sirloin stakes to my waist and opened several tiger cages full of the big cats, type of run for your life, run. Based on the pace of his running and the discoloration of his pants.

Renée looked after the retreating man, scratching her head, "Well I never thought that would ever happen, again." Turning around she offered her hand to him, "Let's head back to your place. We're going to need a lot of sleep tonight." Looking after the now screaming scout, "Tomorrow looks to be an interesting day."

Tisany simply shook his head, and they walked back to the guard tower together, where Guard stood outside with a man and a young girl.

The man was talking when they arrived behind them. "I was in a clearing resting for the night when your daughter hear appeared. You should be more careful with your daughter if I hadn't been there that wolf probably would have gotten her."

Tisa hugged his right leg as he spoke. Guard knell down his arms outstretched towards his daughter, "Come here honey, it's okay now."

Tisa didn't budge, but to latch onto the man leg harder. The man looked down at the girl, and tried to pry her off with his left hand, awkwardly, "Get off." Grunting he was able to get her off, "Go with your dad," but as soon as he had let go of her, she latched right back onto his leg.

Guard stood up a little unhappy, with a sort of forced laugh, "It seems my daughter has found a new friend, why don't you stay the night, ah, what did you say your name was?"

"Ah, Logan."'

"Well welcome Logan."

Renée stepped out from behind Logan/Scar, "Is there any way, that I also could partake in that offer. I can't seem to find a tavern in your town with a room."

Guard smiled, "Sure why not. Tisa, Tisany go prepare dinner for every one." Tisany walked over to Tisa and grabbed her hand, and they walked into the tower together.

Guard turned to Renée and Logan, "Come on in." Beckoning with his hand he walked into his tower home.

They walked into a circular room that was cut in half by a wall witch had a signal wooden door. In this half of the room there was a small coffee table, a worn couch, a large radio, and a small poofy recliner. There were no widows, designed to make the tower easier to defend, but there also were no rugs on the stone floor. It looked like a lived in room, but not a happily lived in room. Guard immediately sat down in the recliner. Forcing Renée and Logan to sit on the small couch.

"Please sit," gesturing at the couch as the two sat, he looked over at Logan, who was sitting nearest the door. "Well what brings a man like yourself way out to our town?"

"Ah, I'm on business," He answered, looking confused, a pretending he didn't hear Renée's giggle.

"Interesting, where is your business going to take you?"

"Ah, out east."

"East, all that's out there is desert. Why do you have to go out there?"

Logan looked utterly confused, "Ah," with a slit glance at Renée, "Really, I have no clue."

Guard noticing the look Logan gave Renée, "Do you two know each other?"

Logan fed up with answering questions, let Renée answer the question, "Yes, I recruited Logan to help me on the trip out to do some studies out there. We got separated in the mountains. He has some family in the east and on the way back to headquarters he's going to use up some well-earned vacation time. So it wasn't hard to get him to come along."

Guard was a little surprised at this, because although Renée was sitting perfectly normal at one end of the couch, if Logan was sitting any farther away from Renée he wouldn't be on the couch anymore. "Well, that's good, for both of you." Looking towards the door in the wall, as Tisany walked out of the door carrying a tray full of food, followed by Tisa carrying a smaller tray.

Tisany handed a plate to his father, then a plate to Renée another plate from his tray. Tisa from her tray handed Logan a plate before sitting down at his feet on the floor. Lisany sat down next to his sister, but sitting closer to Renée's feet.

Looking down at her plate, Renée found a large well cooked steak, a large amount of freshly mashed potatoes, and pile of fresh fruit on the plate. Looking farther down at Tisany's plate, she saw maybe a forth of what was on her plate, this was also so on Tisa's plate. 'Why are singular military fathers jerks?' Renée sighed to herself, bending down before the boy was able to take his first bite, exchanged her plate with his. Looking over at Logan she saw he had seen the same. Smiling, before the children were able to complain, Renée simply stated, "I have grown, you have not. You need all the energy you can get for the journey ahead of you, we have already traveled the path, and frankly I'm not very hungry. So eat."

Tisany looked at his sister, then turned back to his plate and began to eat, slowly at first, faster and faster in time. Soon the two kids had finished their new plates of food before their dad had finished so much as half of his plate. They sat silently while their father finished his meal.

Finishing his meal, Guard stood up, "Well, I have to go up on the Tower Top, to watch the border over night." Looking down at his kids, "Practice, then go to bed. Be accomidating to our guests. Show them to the spare rooms," Looking back at Renée and Logan, "Goodnight Sir and Ma'am." He then walked into the kitchen, and by the sound of it, walked up a long staircase, really far up the really squeaky staircase.

Tisany picked up all the empty plates, except for Renée's untouched steak, and his sisters tray, and carrying them into the kitchen. When he came back into the room, Renée looked at him exquisitely.

"What do you guys need to practice?"

"Oh, I need to practice military attributes, like fighting and tactics. My sister on the other hand, has to practice the piano and other lady like things, like sewing, but mostly the piano."

Smiling Renée snickered, "Sounds fun." Scar looked over at her oddly. Still smiling, "Bet I know more fighting moves than just you, Tisany."

"Yeah right."

"Lets go see." Tisany lead Renée to the second floor. Were a large court was open space except for a piano on the wall closest to them. Tisa led Scar up the stairs by his right hand.

Tisany and Renée went out to the practice field and Tisa led Scar to a grad piano. As Tisany stretched, and Renée yawned Tisa sat down on the piano bench, with her back to the field. Scar leaned up against the wall as the event began. Tisa closed away the open music sheet and began to play, a slow and soothing tune. The room was in calm and smelled of fresh washes Renée and Tisany took up positions on the field.

Sliding a sword the Renée, Tisany smiled, "You sure you can beat me?"

Picking up the blade, the music began to crescendo, "Sword play?" and with what has to be her standard, that justifies physics just a bit evil smile, "Sounds, Fun."

The room was filled with a feeling of honor, they bowed to one another, and the music jumped, as sparks flew thru the air, the combatants flew at one another. Swords clashed and fingers raced across keys to a defining roar.

Scar the only true witness as he saw all with out is involved, was quite frankly amazed. It was no wonder he had never landed a blow on Renée, she moved like a cheetah parrying all of Tisany's blows and landing a few hits occasionally with the back of the blade, as the amazing things happed around them. The music seemed to be coming to life; flowers bloomed, eyes cried out streams of blood, animals appeared, fighters mirrored the fighters in all ranges of colors and sounds, and may more undesirable things. As the two fought the sound followed his pace. When swords touched the sword of blades couldn't even be heard over the battle of the music. When they circled the music turned to that of a suspenseful drama, and as the battle grew to the climax, the music mirrored it. Then a deafening bang was heard and then the silent was amazing, Renée had landed a lunge, ducking Tisany's sword from his hand and landed him on his back, with Renée's blade at his throat.

Smiling, "Still think I can't beat you, so, Uncle?"

Looking up from the ground, defeated, "Uncle."

Still a little stunned, all that Scar could manage was a simple, "Wow."

Tisany who had excepted Renée hand by now so was standing up in time to join in the group session of, falling over backwards with communal sounds of "Oww" or in Renée's case, "oofff", as Tisa's hands left the keys.

**Chapter 7: Milkshakes**

They all sat down stairs again, where sat in the recliner and Scar, Tisa and Tisany sat in that order on the couch, with Scar closest to the door. Renée had just handed everyone a strawberry milkshakes, much to Scar's contradictions.

She now sat in the chair icing her toe, (she had stubbed it on to way down the stairs). Tisa sat on Scar's lap practically, sipping on two milkshakes, Scar had given her his. Ice cubes engulfed her hands and the milkshake was perched above it. Tisany sat icing his feet, right knee, both elbows, left hand, and his head where he hit it twice falling down.

Renée was laughing, "You're pretty good. I haven't had so much fun in years during a scrape. When you actually finish training we will have to go again."

Tisany looked into his milkshake, "Your really nice." He became very scared looking, "Um, I wouldn't hold it against you if said NO, but could you keep a secret?" He looked up at Renée with a rare tint of hope in his eyes.

Renée smiled softly, "Of course." Then a little silly, "As long as you don't want to become a murder or a clown, because there are just both so evil." This made everyone laugh, even a lilt slowly, Scar as well. "So what's up?"

"Um, well I don't want to be any trouble for you or my dad." Then Tisany looked up from his feet again, "but I don't want to be a soldier. I want to learn ballet, and the piano not kill people." He started to cry.

Renée stood up and walked to were he was sitting. She knelt beside him, "You must decide your path and no one else. If you don't want to join the military, don't. There's a good ballet school in central, just for boys. Though it is quite small, but it's totally free. All you have to do is get there, and tell your father where you're going." Pushing his hair out of his eyes. "So stop mopping scared, stand up to your father. Your stronger than you think, you know."

Renée then looked at Tisa, who had become very still, unusual for her. "Tisa, have you ever heard of, the Alchemist named Francis Frankock?"

Tisa looked up to her stunned, "Yeah of course, he was the alchemist first to discover the ability to turn base metals, and other matters to gold. He's one of the less famous major alchemic geniuses."

"Well that's a interesting amount of knowledge for a none alchemist to know, He is quite unheard of." Renée looked at her smiling.

"Uh"

"Did you know he never excepted any money or even work from the state."

"Alchemists can do that?"

"Yes and you should know as an alchemist."

"How?"

"Don't try to hide it. I saw the markings on the piano keys. They were submerged, but still recognizable. You invented a new kind of alchemy, using only music. A form of alchemy that can give the world only beauty, and nothing else. For when the music stops, the alchemy reverts to it's original form, music. Completely harmless, but beautify."

Tisany looked at Renée excited, "Yeah, it's so cool, it's amazing. I told you, you don't need to be a state dog to perfect your abilities, like dad said. You can continue and not have to enlist yourself as a killing machine like other alchemists. You can continue your research with out worrying about having to worry about having to join the state."

"I can?" Looking over at Renée, "I can. I will, all I want to bring into the world is beautiful. That's good." Looking up at Scar, "Logan."

Scar who had been startled by the whole thing, looked down at Tisa, "Uh, Yeah. That's a great idea Tisa." Looking a little uncomfortable, "You'll have to show us how you improved on our way back."

Tisany yawned, "That's a good idea, but it's late, so I'll show you to the guest rooms." He stood up, "Come on." With that he went into the kitchen and walked up the stairs. Renée followed him closely, but Scar had a little more trouble, since Tisa had fallen asleep on his lap. When he finally stood up he was carrying the unconscious girl in his arms.

He caught up Tisany and Renée on the third floor, Renée smiled, "Ah how cute." Logan just glared at her.

Tisany pointed to one of the two doors near the door, "That's Tisa room, and pointed to the door on the left, "That's my room." He opened his sister's room; "We might as well put her in bed. No reason to wake her; just so she can go to bed herself." He led Logan into a large room about the size of the living room minus the room for a bathroom. Logan laid Tisa on the bed and tucked her in.

They left the room silently and walked up another flight of stairs thru Guards study. The next floor was a hallway with four doors. The two doors on the right looked newly refurbished.

"Well here we are," pointing to the two righter doors, "Those are the newer rooms, we had to reduce them after some Alchemist stayed there, I here they were recently killed by Scar." He shrugged, "Well take your pick." With that Tisany descended the stairs again.

Renée walked over to the closet right door and walked in, "I'll take this one, see you tomorrow, Logan."

Scar walked into the farthest left door. Each room looked exactly the same, simple gray rock floors with a simple rug thrown over it at the end of the bed, a small dresser, beside a large bed that was covered in large white sheets. There was also a small nightstand opposite the dresser. The last thing in the room was a simple desk and chair.

Scar moved over o the bed and sat down. In about half hour he was sleeping, a little uncomfortably, but sleeping nonetheless. Renée on the other hand wasn't so lucky, had walked over to the desk and from the only small drawer withdrew a phone.

Putting her ear to the phone, "Hello, operator? Please connect me to the operator in central."

"Yes Ma'am," Funky hold music.

Renée opened her briefcase and withdrew some papers, while she waited Finally she heard, "Hello sir or madam. How may I help you?"

"Please contact me with the central ballet school."

"Of course, may I ask your name?"

"It's Cat."

"You will be reconnected ma'am shortly please wait," while more funky music played, Renée located what she was looking for and a pen.

"Hello, this is the Central Ballet School, how may I help you?"

"Please contact me to Ronald Linten."

"Who is this?"  
"Cat."

"Of course Ma'am."

A cherry female voice came over the phone, "This is Ronald Linten's assistant how may I help you?"

"I need to speak with Ronald, please put him on the line."

"I'm sorry, but he's in a meeting right now. May I take a message?"

"Tell him its Cat," she looked down at her paper and noticed her hand was about to break the pen, losing her grip, "Now. … Please."

"Okay ma'am, but he is I a very important meeting. Please hold," Over the phone came the same music she had been hearing since she had picked up the phone.

She heard the pen snap. Sighing she cut her finger and placed some of the blood on the pen before the wound completely healed over in a couple seconds. Then twirling the pen in her hand she finally heard what she was waiting for.

A very smooth masculine voice came over the phone, slightly out of breath, "Sorry to keep you waiting Renée. My new secretary isn't very fast."

"That's okay," she said sighing, "I only got on this phone over an hour or two again, a few more minutes didn't hurt. I was able to put back the pen back together."

"Well how may I help you, state kitty?"

Laughing, "That still cracks me up. Well now to business, I have a very talented ballet, who needs a formal education."

"He's male and his father wants him to join the military, right?"

"Yep."

"Is he any good?"

"Would I be raising his hopes if he wasn't?"

"You picking up the tap of the enrolment costs?"

"Meow."

"Alright, our next teaching cycle begins next week. If he's here we'll teach him."

"Cool, I recommended starting him with some combat dance classes, and dancing with music. Just to start him off."

"Sounds good. What's his name?"

"Tisany Guard."

"Can't wait. See you next time you drop buy. I have a new bottle of wine from five years ago made on the Rhine. Suppose to be a really good year for the grapes. If you're interested, drop by."

"Will do. Good night." With that she hung up, sighing, "One down, two to go." Picking up the phone again, she threw the operators to western.

"This is Western Military base. How many I connect you?"

"Roman Horison, please."

"Do you have an authorization code?"

"Green uncle over 4 5 9 2."

"Alright Ma'am, right away, have a good night."

Thinking about the evil music she let go of her pen putting her hand on the desk, and was a little shocked when a half hour latter she heard Roman's voice.

"Hello Bloody Cat, to what do I owe this honor?"

The desk creaked, "Alchemy of course, why else would I call my new favorite alchemy investigator?"

"So you heard."

"Yeah it's a shame, but he was accepting bribes, maybe it was judgment in a way. At least he got away alive, but early retirement seemed a little harsh. But lets not dwell on that, I have an rising talent over here in Lipstan."

"Where?"

"Lipstan, it's really close to the border."

"Still don't know where your tailing about, I don't even see it on the map. Nope it's not here."

"Well I don't care what you say, I'm currently sitting in this sitting, listen already now. The girl isn't a state alchemist candidate."

"Why?"

"She grew down the street from Isabel, Guess."

"Oh, well then what do you want me to do about it?"

"She invented a new form of alchemy, a form that could never hurt. Come by this tower in a week or so, and check her out maybe hook her up with a normal alchemy teacher that isn't in the military. So, I hear some of your friends are looking for appetencies with talent?"

"A week then. You won't be there will you?"

"Dope. Bye." Hanging up the phone.

Sighing, standing she stood up to stretch, she had been sitting at the desk for over four hours know, and she wanted to kill the person who had invented hold music. She wasn't happy about sitting down again but she did. Sighing she picked up the phone and dialed the direct Central line.

"Hello sir or Ma'am, please state authorization code."

"Cucumbers left nose 4 8 3 9 2."

"Already, please state name, reason for calling, and where you want to be transferred."

"Bloody Cat Alchemist, none of your business, and eastern command, Riza Hawkeye."

"Ma'am you do you know she is probably sleeping, it's nearly eleven there."

"And it' nearly midnight here, now patch me through, already,' Renée snapped.

"Yes, Ma'am."

The evil music once again playing over the phone, "Why does everyone have the same darn hold MUSIC!"

Halfway thru her scream some one picked up the phone and waited, till she stopped screaming, "Riza Hawkeye, here." How can I help you Cat?" There wasn't even a hint off sleep in her voice.

Yawning, "Two things. One, at some point some one needs to come check out Lipstan's guard watch, he's getting a little weird. More importantly I need you to draw me up a personal file."

"Who are you today, Cat?"

"It's not for me, this time. A rank lower then mine, named Logan Gruman, assigned to my command. That sort of thing."

"Why," Riza asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Well tomorrow, I'm going to have a run in with Gearnit tomorrow, and he's going to question me about my subordinate, no one's heard of. And if I say there's a file, and there isn't, suspicions might get placed some place I don't like them being. Since I don't need that so, if you would be so nice as to get a file made up I would be so happy, whimper pretty please."

"Sigh, Even if I was to make a file, you need a Cornel or higher level, to sign it or it's no good. And no matter amount how much you whine, I am not faking a signature."

"I heard you're on a good standing with a certain Corneal, get him to sign it."

"How do I get him to sign it?"  
"Come on, he's a guy, your telling me he reads everything he signs all day?"

"You want me to drag Roy into this, I…"

Renée cuts her of, "Oh, your one first name base with your commander, is he cute?"

You could nearly hear her blush over the phone, "I'll go get a pencil."

Renée giggled waiting for Riza to pick up the phone once more, her old friend might seem tough to some people, she was still soft to her.

Riza picked up the phone, once again, "All right, I need his official name, serial number, office, starting office, hair color, skin color, eye color, height, weight, Mother's modern name, father's name, sibling's name, Birth day, and department, you got that?"

"Yep. Ready?"

"When you are."

"Logan Sevage Gruman, 315-98-1024, 2nd Lieutenant, Private, Dark Blue, Caucasian, Blue, 5"9', 190 lbs., Lily Sammy Nickstan, Jim Limpt Gruman, none, 11-01-76, investigation. Sound good?"

"Sure, just don't get caught."

"What? It's just me."

"That's why I'm worried."

Laughing, "Thanks Riz, see you later. I owe you one." Renée hanged up the phone, before Riza could respond. Stretching she began stuffing papers randomly back into her briefcase, stopping only once. Holding a single piece of paper, the one scar had touched she held it under her nose, "That bastard, that big jerk." She signed, she shoved the rest of her belonging s in her briefcase, after giving the bed a sad look, she walked down the stairs to the main floor, and disappeared into the kitchen.

Chapter 8: Breakfast

A few hours later, Gruman/Scar descended the stairs into the small living room, sitting down on the couch.

Renée poked her head out of the kitchen, "Well hello, and sunshine." Scar grunted at her, and closed his eyes. Renée shoved a piece of notebook paper his nose, along with a piece of toast. "You might want to read that."

Brushing the crumbs of the paper, "Why?"

"It's you, well in this form at least it is. I've been meaning to ask," suddenly glaring at Gruman, "How in the world did you turn yourself into that form?"

"You mean you didn't do this," he asked sounding a little annoyed.

"No, after I realized the disguise last time I removed all of my blood back. I couldn't have if I had wanted to. We were to far apart."

"Then who did this?!"

She placed her finger on her chin thinking, "Well, only my blood could do that, and I'm the only one who could command it to do that." She stared at the ground for several seconds latter, she looked up, "."

Gruman looks over at her, "What?"

Waving if the question, with his hand, "It's an Egyptian curse." She walked overtop the main door. Opening the door slightly, a black cat darted in.

"It's that cat that ran into me in the clearing."

The jet-black cat jumped up on the table in front of the couch and turned to Gruman, "Correct."

If he hadn't been sitting down he would have fallen over, and anyway he still jumped slightly, "That, that cat just talked!"

Renée held out her hands, and the cat jumped into her hands, looking down at the cat, she sighed, "Bast, you are quite a little trouble maker, what would your mother say?"

"I'm quite sure you are more of the trouble maker, Priestess. You also have a better connection with my another than I do."

Gruman/Scar, who had been slightly stunned through this cat human conversation, "Priestess?"

Renée signed dropping Bast back on the small table, "Oh, I forgot to mention that didn't I? Well it's not really important; I'm just the head priestess of Bastet. An almost dead religion, nothing interesting.

Gruman/Scar tried to ask more, but Bast broke in, "Well why are you here?"

"You don't need to know that, young man. Now what are you doing here?"

"Hey, I'm only three days younger than you, and I am here to help you. If it wasn't for me, your friend here would be in a bit of trouble. Those guards barely let him go as it was."

"But using my blood, why didn't you just warn him?"

"Talking cat. Look at him, you're here, there's no danger and he's still freaking out."

Scar caught onto this, "Hey, I'm not, uh."

Renée smiled, "Trust me, tougher guys than you have peed their pants when they first heard Bast here. You're taking it amazingly well." Then looking over at the stairs, "You are too."

A small creak came from the stairs, as Renée went on, "Well come on down Tisa, no use hiding up there. You might as well come on down."

Tisa came down the stairs and stood, at their foot hugging the door jam, "I didn't mean to overhear. I'm sorry, I'll just go."

Bast jumped of the table and rushed against her legs, "Now child its okay come sit. Renée cooked some great smelling food. So we can have that belly and mind filled, so no one leaves confused." Pushing gently against her legs towards the recliner. "Come now."

While Tisa walked / was pushed to the recliner, Renée went into the kitchen again and came out with a plates full of food,

Handing a plate to Tisa, "Eat up. Then ask any questions you may have." She then dropped the second plate in Gruman/Scar's lap. And began eating small fruits from a small bowl.

Tisa took the plate and looked over at Gruman/Scar, "What do you really look like? Who are you?"

Gruman/Scar looked down, but Renée was the first to speak, "I think it would be better to show than tell." Looking at Gruman, "You good with this."

"… Just do it."

Waving her hand at Scar, she muttered, just loudly enough for them to hear. "Blood of mine, turn him back, take away the skin that hides."

Grumman's skin began to darken, starting in his feet and rising to his face and head. His left arm was the first to change then slowly his neck and lower face, and then his right arm and upper face. His hair was the last to change, turning from the dark blue to gray to white.

As his arms just began to change to the brown, Tisa exclaimed, "Your Isbalian."

Scar was looking at the slowly creeping colors of his skin, but Renée did frowning, "Yeah, and not just any Isbalian," as his face and arm reveled him for who he was truly was.

Tisa gasped, "Scar."

Scar just flexed his right arm, and didn't meet her eyes.

Renée sighed after several moments of silence, "Well this was fun, but your brother's waking up and Gearnit will be here in seventeen minutes and fifty nine seconds. So." She again waved her hand near Scar, "Blood of mine, replace the skin, that hides."

After the change was complete a complete seconds latter, a lot faster than last time, Tisa looked over at the once more disguised Scar, "Well that explains the wolf." Renée raised her eyebrows in Scar's direction but got no response, as Tisa continued, "But I always knew that no Isbalian was evil." She stood up from the recliner. Walking over to where Logan was now sitting; she sat on his lap. Then saying something, that was wiser than her years, "Scar is a murder, so he's a bad guy, but Logan is a nice guy that cares about little girls are lost in the woods, so you're good."

Logan looked down at the girl perched on his lap, leaning on his right shoulder, he imitated a rare smile. "Thank you."

With that Tisany walked into the room, rubbing his eyes, "Good morning, what are you guys doing up already?"

Renée chipped, "Nothing. Now sit down, I made way to much breakfast, and it's getting cold. I'll bring it all in." She disappeared into the kitchen as Tisany sat down on the other side of the couch.

When Renée reemerged, she was loaded, quite literally. Somehow, placing it all on the table, after a lot of work she handed Tisany a new plate, and held on to the other, "Well eat up," she motioned toward the food, and people began to eat. Just as the took there first bites Renée turned towards the door as Gearnit walked in.

Looking at her he sneered, "I've found you, Bloody Cat Alchemist. And this time you won't escape!"

Chapter 9: Pancakes

Renée smiled offering Gearnit the plate, "Breakfast, we have pancakes."  
"Pancakes! Pancakes! You should be yelling in fear. Not offering me PANKACHES!" Stepping further into the room as the tower echoed. Sounds of the waking Guard could be heard up stairs. "Well you'll see soon enough. I plan to have you pay for you crimes. One way or another."

Turning back to the food she sat down in a small chair, and began to munch in the strawberries. "You sure you don't want anyone, we have plenty, or you can have some fruit."

Everyone in the one in the room sat stunned as this played out, Gearnit's face gradually getting redder and redder, "Stop your dally wagging. Stand up and face me like a man."

Swallowing she looked over at him, "Only one problem with that." Standing stretching, she paused to yawn, before pushing her chair near the bottom of the stairs, and sat down on the floor near the table. "I'm not, a guy."

As his face scrunched up, in preparing to yell, a loud yelp came from the stairs and Guard landed, from tripping own the stairs, in the Renée's chair.

Smiling Renée handed Guard a plate, "Good morning, sorry my visitor woke you up. Don't expect an apology out of him though."

Finally seeing Gearnit, and more importantly his new General bars, "Sir, um." Struggling to stand, salute and hold the plate of pancakes, he managed to salute before falling over and spilling syrup all over his shirt. Finally managing to standup, "Sir, what an honor it is to have you here, in my humble out post, sir. Sir, what brings a man of such standing here, sir?"

Snorting, Gearnit looks at the syrup-covered officer, "I'm here," pointing, "to arrest that heap of disobedient garbage of a military officer. I trust you'll help me of course."

Renée sniffled, "Ah, that's the nicest thing you ever said to me, I'm so touched." She began laughing turning back to the food.

Confused glancing between Renée eating and the furious General face, "Um, wha what did she do?"

Gearnit moved over letting another man enter the room. Not even turning from her position that had her back to the door, "Hey, how are you I haven't seen you since Central. I've always wondered what is your name?"

Commander, What's-His-Name stood commandingly in the doorway, "Hm, not even the great Cat knows that," he sneered, "What, a surprise."

"I wouldn't say that, Wally Herman Nichelson the third. I just wanted to prove you wouldn't till me." She turned to him and offered him a plate, "Pancakes?"

Visible shaken, "No, no thank you; Bloody Cat, but I'm wondering what your doing here. Especially, since you have such important orders; that would have you chasing Scar in the South. Not in this god forsaken dessert!"

Not paying any attention to the uncomfortable looking Scar, "Oh, of course I'm obeying orders," she smiled at him, "I'm looking for a way to stop Scar peacefully of course, just like you told me to." Her smile, turned into an evil smile.

"You know as well as I, that the official orders are not to stop him, there to kill him." Noticing Logan/Scar's slight flinch, "Hm, your this Gruman fellow I have heard so much about. What little, Cat didn't fill you in on the whole plan 2nd lieutenant Gruman? Just like that Cat, too." Renée eye's had closed, but Name-His-Name hadn't noticed, "Don't worry about your portion in her schemes, I will make sure you get both a pardon and metal for anything she may have made you do. I still can't believe some one allowed her a sup ordinate at all, you probably could apply for early retirement and get it." Looking back at the now snoring Renée, "Wake up!" He stopped the floor and she fell over and looked up at him, He muttered, "Bloody Cat." She smiled, "Stop smiling, you should be thinking about how you're going to squirm out of this, this time?"

Smiling, Renée wiped her eyes, "I've never ran before, why do you think I'll run this time?"

What's-His-Name looked over at Guard, "Guard, take this piece of trash over to the your town prison. Make sure she's locked in and in clear view of her armed guard, Walking over to the couch he smiled evilly at the now sitting Renée, and placed his hand on Logan/Scar's right shoulder, "2nd lieutenant Gruman."

Tensing when he placed his hand on Logan/Scar's shoulder, she relaxed thinking to herself, "This could actually speed up my trip, and goals," she nearly laughed out loud.

She soon found herself; once again in the small office of the local Military branch, but this time Guard lead her down some hidden stairs, into a musty cellar place with a small cell of to the side. To say the least, the cell had fallen into a slight bit of disrepair. Walking over to the cell touched the door, planning to open it, and it fell over onto the small bunk. Then the small bunk detached from the wall crashing to the ground.

She couldn't help but break out laughing, she turned to Guard, "You got be kidding me, I've seen more sturdy earthquakes."

"I'm sorry, but no, I am not kidding, that's the towns jail cell." Looking behind her at the cell "Just go in and don't touch the walls and it should be fine. The other officers will wake up about nine. So you'll be alone till then. I have to go home and sleep." Yawning he left the room climbing the stairs hurriedly, appearing a little over anxious to get out the basement.

Sighing Renée walked into the cell over the door. Pushing the door back out of the cell she pushed the door back out of the cell. She sat back down on the bunk mattress; the creaking springs broke and the mattress squeaked.

"What in Bastet's name was that?" Jumping up, she saw a pair of eyes coming from the mattress. "This is just perfect. There's a something I don't want to name in the mattress, no scratch that, there's a family of five of them. Then the walls are going to fall over and there isn't even a door. This worse than the time I was kept undergrad in the middle of a tornado, I'm afraid to touch the sticking walls! Seesh, this just made to the worst cell I have ever been in."

"You've been in other jails."

"Yeah, but usually they just smell bad; this is outrageous." She had her Back towards Logan/Scar, but as he turned towards the stairs, "Where are you going?"

He grunted, "Some place that isn't not here."

"What about the disguise, if you leave now, you'll never be rid of it."

He turned back to her, "Like that matters, you've been freaking planning to kill me!"

Laughing, she leaned her back against the bars, still facing away from him, "You're not serious, are you? You think I'd waste all this time and work, just to kill you; if I had wanted you dead I could have stayed in Central, they have good shrimp there, and you would have come to me, or died before you got there. Anyways I could kill some one in my sleep, it actually quiet sad how fragile a human life is."

She could sense his stare in her back, "I don't believe you."

Before Scar could even sense danger, let alone react, two daggers flew just centimeters away from his face. Renée hadn't even moved. She still was leaning against the cell and staring at the wall in from of her, "You still not believe me?"  
Turning to the wall he saw the two holes the daggers had left in the wall, he could barley see the point of the blade pointing at him, about a meter into the wall. "Ho, how, how did you do that?"

"Practice, a lot of practice. It took me half a year trapped in a dirt hole in western to master that trick, but it was so worth it."

Clenching his right fist, "If you don't plan to kill me, then what do you plan to do?"  
Just then the wall of bars broke landing on the floor along with the evilly smiling Renée, "That's for me to know, and you to find out."

A little bit later she laughed, "Actually it's more like, 'It's for me to make up, and you to find out when I figure it out.' Oh, and one last thing, if your going to go thru a girl's things at least get your stories strait."

Chapter 10: Fruit Bowl

In the hustle that happened after the officers woke up. Resulting in Renée getting a new 'cell,' the officers meeting room, and having a delicious bowl of fruit, while Logan/S sat across from her scowling. Right before Gearnit and Nickleson arrived Renée changed into her freshly cleaned pants.

As she handed the pants back, "Sorry about the rust stains, Sara."

"It's all right Ma'am, Glad to be of service." Turning she moved to enter the room before turning back, "Oh, and my mother wanted to thank you, for the honor of helping the Cat, she said." She shrugged and moved to leave the door.

"Tell her she did a great job and I thank her for it," Glancing over at Logan/S, who had been silent since the cell had fallen apart. "Come on already, you still not over the fact that I was ordered to kill Scar. You should be happy, that just means that I can't endless I follow orders; which would break my perfect record. I can't have that happen can I?"

Logan/Scar snorted and turned farter away from her.

Sighing, Renée stood up and turned to the door and counted of on her fingers, "... 3, 2, 1." Just then Gearnit burst into the room. Renée lunged and grabbed him around the middle, hugging him, "Well hello, silly pants."

Trying to shove her of, he gasped, "Get, off, me."

Smiling Renée let go and sat back down in her chair and grabbed a strawberry from the bowl.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm under arrest, remember?"

"Shouldn't be a jail Cell!"

"It broke."

"You! Broke! The! JAIL!"

All right readers, this about to get boring so I'll just out line it and move on.

Lots of Gearnit yelling, Renée answering simple, Nicleson arrives, more yelling, they start the trial against Renée.

Back to the story,

"… disobeying orders, falsifying orders, and for all of these crimes the lowest sentence that can be involved, is 29 consecutive death sentences. One by hanging, and 28 shooting. Defendant Bloody Cat Alchemist how do you plead?" Nickelson finished off of the summarized version of a several hundred page long document, so it was brought down to a much smaller version, "Defendant how do you plead?" Looking over the stack of paper he saw everyone staring with his or her mouth open, expect for the lightly snoring Renée. "Some one please wakes the defendant."  
Douglas, who was the closest sitting next to her shook her shoulder, "Wake, Miss wake up." Renée responded with more snoring, instill Logan/Scar kicked the back of her chair, hard.

Waking up as the leg of the chair Logan/Scar broke and fell onto the floor, somehow still sitting in the chair that only three-legged chair. "Hm, What. What do you want, I was having a nice nap." Whipping her eyes she looked around, noticing all the stunned looks, "Oh, you're done. I plead, … Guilty."

Douglas gasped, "You can't be serious! They're going to kill you 29 times over."

Renée looked over at him, and quite seriously said, "So?"

Gearnit stood up, "To late now, she plead guilty, and we've already made al the preparations. The execution will be in five minutes, you wouldn't escape this time."  
Douglas stood up shocked, "This is an outrage. All condemned prisoners are given at least a day. Your violating her rights, this entire trial was a fix!"

Renée grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back into his chair, "I told you before, I never run. Where do I have to be?"

"The abandoned East guard tower."

Smiling, she replied happily, "Sounds Fun." She then again fell asleep.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leaving the room with everyone else, Logan/Scar started walking towards the East Tower. What was he going to do, if she went and got herself killed? She acted like it was no big deal, but no one can escape the next world.

Maybe he was just over thinking this. When she died her alchemy would probably wear off, and then there would be one less state alchemist out there, pushing him closer to his goal. So what if the military was killing it's own dogs, he shouldn't care, and it made his life easier. Although he didn't like the idea of executions, down by its own people on to their own kind, she was an alchemist and she didn't really matter. He needed to know when she died so he could know that she was dead, and not still out there, but if her alchemy went away when she died, he needed to be hidden, but still able to see her.

He walked into the square seeing the gallows, he noticed the abounded guard tower stood across from it. Walking up to the door, he found it missing; he walked up the tower to a well-shadowed window over looking the square and gallows. The square was beginning to fill up. Sitting down he waited. Soon the square was backed with spectators, disgusting he thought how these people seemed to enjoy the plights of there own. Soon Renée appeared walking towards the gallows, slightly in front of the guards who where suppressed to be stopping her from escape. Although a relatively tall structure, Renée simply jumped up to the platform. He diverted his eyes, and soon he heard the snap of a rope, and then countless shoots fired. Then he heard the crowd's approval, but soon the people began to dissipate since the excitement was over. Finally looking down at his skin he cursed.

"Damn alchemist, wouldn't even stop bothering me after she's dead." He stared at the white skin for several seconds.

Eventually he walked out of the tower; the court was now deserted, except for the gallows that still held her body, unwaving in the wind.

Looking over at him, he snorted, disquieted, "Such a disgrace," He turned to walk out into the dessert with no real goal, he heard a voice, he had hopped never to hear again.

"Yeah, I know. Only 28 bullets and no burning, what were they thinking."  
"Your dead." He turned back just in time to see her fall the rest the way to the ground, landing on her feet, looking like nothing had happened, except for the bullet hole ridden shirt.

Checking her pulse, "I don't think so. Dope, defiantly alive." Digging her fingers into on of the bullet holes she removed, the bullet. "Rifle shot, what am I, a deer?"  
"How, are you alive?"  
Smiling, one of her evil smiles, "I seem to remember five answers when we reached Isbala, not Lipstan. Come on." With that she walked past him into the dessert. Several moments latter, Logan/Scar followed if rather reluctantly.

Chapter 11: Waffles (2)

Several hours later, Gearnit came back to the gallows, slightly drunk, to the tower, to collect the body grumbling, "Why me? I'm not." Stopping he looked over at the gallows. Hanging there by the rope wasn't what he was expecting. IN the loop there was a stuffed animal black cat, and a not in it's claws, and not the disrespectable officer he wanted to see hanging then.

"What in Hell's name is going on here! It's not like she could have just have gotten up and walked away………… No that's impossible." Grapping the note he began to read, whimpering. "No, this, this can't be. As a small puddle formed below his feet he ran into town.

The note read, "Hello and good day. Well I hope it's day there. As you can tell I got bored and left. Gruman 'decided' to accompany me, so don't bother looking for him. Bye," And there in the corner was her paw print like signature.

Well, back to the, ah, main people of the story. All was back to the normal, Renée was complaining about sand, and the once again Isbalian looking, Scar was ignoring her.

"And I didn't even get a bath!" Crying, Renée wiped fake tears from her eyes. Finally, realizing Scar didn't care, "Well Logan, how much farter?"

Speaking for the first time in a week, since Lipstan, "Not much, just over that dune."

"Are you serious? Yeah! As soon as I'm done here, I can go get a bath and waffles, lots of waffles. Ah," wiping a tear from her eye, "I love waffles."  
Her rant finally over, Isbala was in sight. Sitting/flopping down, Renée looked up at Scar. "Take a seat, no need to go any farther. You can have your answers here and now."

Sitting down a little more gracefully than her, he began to stare at Isbala.

Several minutes later, she sat drumming fingers; finally she broke the silence, "Come on, before you get old already!"

"It's looks the same from here."

Looking over at the city, "Yes, it does, doesn't it?"

"You where here before?"

"Yes the first time, and the last, I ever went anywhere with the military. Don't give me that look. I never hurt anyone." She giggled, "They didn't even know where I was half the time."

It was quite for a little while, then, "I wonder."

"What?"

"Did you know an officer, I don't know her name, but she was, different. Everyday, at the same time she always walked the same path threw the city, and no matter what, if she saw someone wounded, she'd take out her bandages and help him. Even if they where Isbalian."

"Is that your first question?" Scratching her chin, she looked over at him, "Actually why do you want to know?"

Looking down at his hands for a little while, "It was during the war, after the alchemists came, I had gotten into a fight. A solider had shot me in the chest twice, I knew I was bleeding to death, and there wasn't anything I could do. I lay down in an unremarkable street, prepared to accept my fate, when she came. Knelling down, her dark blonde hair fell across my arm; She wrapped my wounds, and told me to go home. The next day, I didn't even have a bruise. I never tanked her, and I was hopping if you knew her you could tell her."

"Why should I do that?"  
Scar growled looking over at Renée, who was playing with a couple strands of brown hair.

"When you," she smiled, "just did?"

You know in the movies when someone's jaw actually drops, and you know that doesn't happen in real life, well you're half right.

Scar's mouth opened and disbelieving was apparent in his eyes, "But you don't look like her."

"Still playing with the same strand of hair, that was now blonde, "Oh, come on. Remember Gruman, all I had to do was change my eye color, lighten my hair, grow it out like a foot, ponytail hair, get a bit of a tan, grow a couple inches, and but on a mini-skirt. Takes on a second or so to do; anyway, you must have another question by now, you have four left."

Shutting his mouth, then opening it again to ask, "Why? How?"

"Well, why first, because I wanted to. I like helping people it's what I do, and it doesn't hurt that it's really my job as well." Blushing "Well the second one isn't as simple to answer. Simply put, I'm immortal."

If he'd been confused before, now he was really confused, "Huh, Job? Immortal?!??!"

Laying down Renée stared into the sky, seemingly seeing something that wasn't there. "Well, when I was a kid, I sort of sighed up to be the head priestess for my god Bastet. Her being a god that is a mothering goddess, and I believe to be the immortal mother of all of humanity; it's my job to take care of all of her children in a sense. Basically my life's devoted to the protection and prosperity of humanity. Fun right? Then immortal, hm, how do I explain that," she sat back up looking at the palm of her hand, where several blood droplets emerged from her skin and began to dance in the air under her careful eye. "See this. My blood isn't what you would call normal."

Scar only nodded, staring at the pure red blood swirling in the air.

"Well, it heals, myself and others. Its so good at healing, I can't die. No matter what, I just heal back. Trust me, I've tried. It's sort of like superman."  
He gave her a weird look.

"Oh yeah, superman doesn't exist in this dimension in any form. Well it's like saying my blood has super powers." Yawning, she stood up, brushing of her pants. "Thanks for the company, but now the real work begins," Sighing she sticked her hands in her pockets and walked towards Isbala.

It was some time latter in till Scar actually saw the dot that was now Renée actually enter Isbala, before he to stood up. He looked down at his brother's right arm, and then at the city, before sighing. HE then began walking, towards hi own destination.

The End

Chapter 12?  You said the last on was the last one 

'It had been fun,' she thought to herself as she entered the city, 'Scar was a nice guy, but her life really didn't let her have friends or boyfriends for that matter, but that was another story all together. Ugh, don't people ever clean up after themselves.' Before her stretched a small street witch in any other situation would have been pleasant. Not today thou, today it was filled with the decaying bodies of Isbalian, most reduced to only bones; bodies of Isbalian that hadn't been properly put to rest and souls remain trapped here. And off course, some how it had become her problem. Isbala had talked to Bastet and Bastet had agreed to help. So now, Renée was in the middle of the sticking desert, with sand in more places than she'd like to name, staring at skeletons.

Bast suddenly showed up beside her, "Hello Priestess."

"Hi, Bast."

"Looks like you have your work cut out for you."

"Yeah, and I don't even know how to lay an Isbalian to rest. This job sucks, I really need more help than a shape shifting cat."

"Well, I'm insulted."

"Good for you. Come on, who do you think would be the best bet."

"That one on the left looks older, maybe a priest."

"Sure why not."

Knelling next to the skeleton, she placed her hands on one of its hands. The air began to tingle as she spoke, in an ancient language full of magic.

"Light of"

Bast broke in, "Priestess why are you talking, it isn't necessary."  
"I know that Bast, it's a force of habit if people saw me doing things with out any apparent work, they'd call them miracles and such."  
"But they are miracles?"  
"So, I don't need any groupies following me around, it bad enough as it is. Anyways, It helps me focus, especially on difficult jobs like this one. So, SHUTUP." Sighing,

"Light of Anubis,

Body of the Devourer,

Soul of Bastet,

Blood of the Father,

Flesh of the Mother,

Soul of the Eternal Mother,

Come Forth Now,

To Dry These Tears,

Of Souls That Can Not Part."

Well there's really no way to justify what happened next, but you now the deal. Bright light, holy pagan music, and the whole cucumber, and then the whole reverse autopsy begin. First the bones go muscles, then vital organs and eventfully skin. Please note, SHE DID NOT BRING HIM BACK TO LIFE, he's still dead. It took several hours, and after the process was completed, Renée was swamped; she was physically, and mentally drained.

"Agh, I fell like I'm going to hurl." Turning back to the body, " Now let's find out who you are." Placing her right hand on his forehead she, ah how to described it, lets say, logged into his memories that where still filled in the soft tissue of his brain. She began, 'Downloading' some key info. "Well hello, Ganibe. I must have a luck gods favor, a priest on my first try. Well lets see, burial rights," sticking her tongue out in concentration she 'scrolled' through some information. Then suddenly her jaw dropped, "You got to be kidding me! I just got rid of my Isbalian. Hey, what a second, I know that sent …" She turned her head and saw Scar standing several yards down the street. "Well, I'll be, you snuck up on me. Nobody's done that in eight, nine years now or was it ten, ah who cares. How long have you been standing there?"  
… Stunted look…

"Oh, so a little while then," She looked around and noticed Bast sleeping next to a near by wall, she stood up and patted her pants. "Well you know more about your sticking religion, but what I got from Ganbie here is your soul can't return to Isbala. Well I need an Isbalian, no matter the state of your soul. So what do you say? Wanna help?" She smiled at him.

"Your crazy."

Jumping over she hugged him around the middle, "Yeah, come on we, no you, need to start digging some holes." She grabbed his right had and began leading him in to the city, and for the first time in the last month, he didn't attack, and let her pull him into the city.

The End

**So that's it. Don't know if I'd ever do a sequel. Meows!**

 Authors note: this is only the first half of chapter sorry. 

 Authors note: Bwahhha!!! Bwahhha!!!!!

 Lets just call him Logan when he's in disguise, and Scar when he isn't in his in his "I hate Renée" disguise

 Authors note: for none music readers- it got louder and a little faster seeming, duh

 Who know, I wrote it

37


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